The KISP referendum held last year had growers overwhelmingly support the single desk selling system and back some major changes to industry equity structure and governance.
But New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chairman Doug Brown said it was important growers also put their views into submissions to avoid variations to wishes expressed so clearly in last year’s vote.
The KISP referendum resulted in an overwhelmingly high level of growers voting on key aspects of industry governance, with two thirds of growers representing 80% of production voting. It was a turnout matching Fonterra’s Trading Among Farmers vote in 2012.
Support for maintaining the single point of entry was extremely high at 98%.
More than 90% of growers also supported a re-jigging of Zespri share equity ownership, putting a cap on shareholdings and matching ownership more closely to the number of trays supplied.
Ninety percent plus support was also registered by growers seeking a change to how Zespri wasfunded to maximise returns to NZ growers, and seeking changes to their industry representation to ensure grower equity decisions matched grower payments.
Brown said the government’s consultation document was close to most of the recommendations growers had sought.
“But there are some small things there. One is that we have always supported a grower majority on the board of the industry regulator, and one option offered was to change that balance, but we are adamant we want growers as the majority there.”
Brown said the submissions period, which closed on March 28 was relatively short and he was optimistic the strategy could be put in place before year’s end.
“Really what we need is for growers rather than just be the silent majority make sure they reinforce their view to the politicians.”
