PUKEKOHE VEGETABLE
GROWERS ASSOCIATION
Suporting Growers throughout the Pukekohe, Auckland and Waikato regions.
ABOUT US
The Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association incorporates an area from northern Warkworth to Te Kauwhata in the south.
The association has operated in various forms as a grower organisation since the early 1900’s. It represents in excess of 230 vegetable growing businesses from the Auckland region. These vary from small family-run businesses to large corporate organisations - some who have operations throughout New Zealand.
These growers produce a large proportion of fresh vegetables for the Auckland region (population total - 1.5 million) as well as export crops. The exports include onions, potatoes, buttercup squash, capsicums, tomatoes, and carrots.
New Zealand National Horticulture Industry Statistics (2010) :
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Total horticultural revenue $5.8billion export and retail (including $1b in wine)
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Export industry FOB sales revenue $2.4billion (plus $1billion of wine)
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Domestic Retail value – $2.4billion
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Total area of only 100,000 hectares is used for horticulture crops
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1% of New Zealand’s total arable land area is used for horticulture
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Employs 50,000 people in eight key growing regions
The Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association has an elected committee of President and approximately 20 Executive Members. This committee meets monthly to provide a forum for discussion and action on any relevant issues and to ensure that information is passed back to grower members.
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Association History
The rich productive soils and the temperate climate favours the growing and horticulture industries. The name Pukekohe means “Hill of the Kohekohe”, New Zealand’s native mahogany. Pukekohe lies between the Auckland and Waikato regions (52 kms from Auckland and 97 kms from Hamilton). The town developed as a service town for the horticultural and agricultural industries and has now broadened into a thriving and modern community – a destination for shopping and recreation.
Pukekohe has been called the food basket of New Zealand.
Annual rainfall for Auckland is around 1142mm and annual sunshine hours are approximately 2149 hours. Parts of Pukekohe are frost-free – giving an early advantage over the rest of the country.
The local vegetable growing industry is acclaimed for its innovative growing methods. The Franklin Sustainability Project for environmental care won the prestigious Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Award in 2000. The project was initiated by the Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association to champion and promote best practice guidelines amongst the commercial vegetable growers of the area for the sustainable management of the natural and physical resources of the district.
The Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association is affiliated with Horticulture New Zealand - the National Industry Body.
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To View the current environmental submissions please click here
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PVGA Scholarship
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The Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association is a charitable organization operating in the Auckland and Waikato regions. We are passionate about horticulture - about the land, the fresh produce it grows, and the people entrusted with caring for New Zealand's soils and our fresh food future.
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We are small family-run businesses and large corporations - one thing we all have in common is an eye on the future of growing and as such, the PVGA scholarship program was born as part of our Centenary celebrations in 2018.
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The Pukekohe Vegetable Growers Association has created a scholarship fund to support horticultural study. A $5000 scholarship fund can be awarded to a student or split between multiple students undertaking a horticultural degree, diploma. Interview date 5th of December 2023.
For more information on please email us at Secretary@pvga.org.nz
Please download the
2024
Scholarship form.
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The PVGA want to acknowledge our generous sponsors who have been nothing but supportive of our Centenary event. We thank you and appreciate you being part of our first 100 yrs.
Industry Partners
