Kiwifruit growers and industry leaders past and present gathered at Mount Maunganui yesterday to celebrate the 25th anniversary of establishment of the industry's single desk marketing structure.

Leo Mangos, one of the prime movers for restructuring, says in the 1980s grower returns were suffering because seven exporters were competing against each other in the market place.

Leo Mangos at yesterday's event, celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the single point of entry regulations.

'The only thing they could compete on was price,” says Leo.

Following pressure for change from growers, the Labour Government agreed to give the industry marketing regulations under the Primary Industry Act. An order in council was passed on March 6, 1989, and gazetted the following day.

'At the time a good many people called me a communist for trying to set up a co-operative marketing organisation,” says Leo.

The New Zealand Kiwifruit Marketing Board was established under the new regulations and today the marketing company Zespri has exclusive right to export New Zealand kiwifruit throughout the world, with the exception of Australia.

Leo says it is important to celebrate the 25^th anniversary to honour those who worked hard for change, but also to ensure the significance of what they achieved and what the regulations mean to growers and the industry is not forgotten.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Inc president Neil Trebilco says the industry owes much to the pioneers who had the foresight and determination to push for the SPE regulations.

Thanks to those regulations kiwifruit is now the most successful horticultural industry in New Zealand, says Neil.

'There are people who are trying to change the single desk structure. We need to make sure we are militant in support of it and explain the benefits of the SPE to growers.”

Zespri chairman Peter McBride says the achievement of industry leaders who convinced a Labour Government 'hell bent on deregulation” to give the industry its own regulations is significant and led to grower ownership of one of the world's best recognised fruit brands.

'For example, today there are only two widely-recognised fruit brands in China; Sunkist and Zespri.”

Among yesterday's special guests were kiwifruit pioneers Roly and Irene Earp of Te Puna, who in 1959 were among the first growers to develop a large new kiwifruit orchard from farmland.

Roly has written a book on the industry, and a meeting room in Zespri's Mount Maunganui offices is named in his honour.