Cherri Global sector manager Gregoire (Greg) Durant won Central Otago’s young grower of the year at a gala dinner and awards ceremony on Friday May 26.

The day-long competition tested the five contestants’ fruit and vegetable growing knowledge as well as the skills needed to be a successful grower. 

Contestants completed irrigation, pests and disease identification, safe tractor operating, first aid, soil and fertilisers and risk management tasks at the Central Otago campus horticulture training facility.

Greg, who also entered last year, said he studied hard in the lead up to the competition.

“Having a strong mathematics background really helped me in the irrigation section.

“It was fun. The competition was different this year with different questions. I learnt a lot about myself, and I met plenty of people I wouldn’t have spoken to otherwise.”

Originally from France, Greg was a young backpacker when he first came to New Zealand to pick fruit in the Teviot Valley.

He then moved to Clyde to work for Cherri Global, where today he works as the business’s Clyde-Roxburgh sector manager, overseeing a 50 hectare cherry block.

The competition speech was the most challenging aspect of the event for Greg, who had won six out of the seven technical modules earlier in the day.

Central Otago young grower of the year contestants. PHOTO: Image Central

Central Otago Growers’ Association (COGA) chair Kris Robb said he’s proud of all the contestants for putting themselves forward.

“I’m also appreciative of all the work that took place in the background to this significant industry event. COGA is passionate about this event and encouraged by the talent coming up through Central.”

Greg will go on to represent Central in the national final in Pukekohe on October 4-5, 2023. 

Young Grower of the Year is an annual competition run by Horticulture New Zealand to find the best young fruit or vegetable grower in the country. 

Finalists are made up of the winners of the four regional Young Fruit Grower competitions and the winner of the NZ Young Vegetable Grower.