Newspaper Article 1984 – Like driving ‘the Mercedes’ of world apple trade

Likes driving ‘the Mercedes’ of world apple trade

By Daily Telegraph farming reporter
MIKE JOHANSSON

Ken Kiddle is an orchardist with a special burden – the fruits of his labours ultimately affect all apple and pear growers in New Zealand.

The Havelock North orchardist works tirelessly on his own pip and stonefruit orchard when he can afford the time.

Unlike most orchardists in Hawke’s Bay, he is unable to spend more than eight months of the year on his orchard. He loses about 130 days a year – time, he says, that would make him a better orchardist.

But his “loss” is other New Zealand pipfruit growers’ gain, because Mr Kiddle spends those 130 days a year working as chairman of the Apple and Pear Marketing Board.

He has just begun his tenth year as chairman and his eighteenth as a grower representative on the board.

Quiet

The quietly spoken and retiring Mr Kiddle has steadfastly resisted any kind of public profile and prefers to work behind the scenes.

But that is not to say he doesn’t find satisfaction in the job.

He said he had been fascinated by the industry since becoming a grower in 1956, and the fascination and excitement still burn within him.

As a grower and leader of an industry, Mr Kiddle believes he has combined the best of both worlds.

He draws his satisfaction from the returns the board is able to make to growers each year, and the success the board achieves in its multitude of marketing and manufacturing operations.

NZ’s role

The sheer, bursting pride in the apple industry that Mr Kiddle exhibits takes the visitor temporarily aback, but when it is put into proper proportion with his views on New Zealand’s place as a world leader in quality apple production, the determined enthusiasm is understandable.

He likes to class New Zealand apples with Mercedes Benz cars, which he says have an unlimited demand.

“We (New Zealand) are the Mercedes Benz of the apple industry; let someone else produce the Fords,” he says.

This determination to keep New Zealand ahead goes back to his earliest involvement in orcharding.

Chemist

In 1956 Mr Kiddle, then an industrial chemist, and his wife, Marion, a zoology lecturer at Canterbury University, were looking for a different lifestyle – one they could share.

They looked at farming, but decided that with their limited capital a 12-acre orchard in River Road, Havelock North was what they could afford.

Twenty-eight years later Mr Kiddle will tell you he has no regrets at all about the change in occupation.

By purchasing on their own account or in partnership with renowned apple specialist Dr Don McKenzie, the Kiddles have expanded their orcharding.

“We have now got to the delightful stage of having two of our family back on the land on blocks adjacent to us,” Mr Kiddle said.

A son, Ian and daughter, Vivien, with their respective spouses, now orchard in River Road.

As a fruitgrower, Mr Kiddle quickly became involved in the Hawke’s Bay Fruitgrowers’ Association and in 1960 was elected to its executive.

In 1966 he was appointed as a grower representative on the board and was elected deputy-chairman in 1968.

On the death of the incumbent chairman, Mr Don Sinclair, in 1974, Mr Kiddle was elected chairman – a position he has held since.

Of the huge committment in time and energy in his years on the board, Mr Kiddle has a philosophical view.

“You have to accept that if I were here all the time I would be a better orchardist,” he said.

“But you measure that off with the pleasure you have in life. Being on the board and running the orchard is a bit as though your hobby and your work are one.”

Both worlds

The whole fruit industry was very interesting and the people in it were friendly and helpful, Mr Kiddle said.

“It’s a very pleasurable occupation or lifestyle.

“I wouldn’t have the pleasure out of the job if I were a resident (non-working) chairman.

“I’m involved in the country and the commercial life. I enjoy the best of both worlds and that’s why I keep young,” Mr Kiddle says with a smile.

He speaks with real pride about the apple industry and points out that he feels its success is based on controlled marketing of export fruit.

Foundation

“My biggest concern is that the industry should never forget the foundation on which its success was built,” Mr Kiddle says.

“The success has been built because growers have been individually involved in the production on the orchard, and the co-operative body (the board) has been involved in the marketing,” he said.

By world standards New Zealand’s was an innovative apple industry – something that was necessary, as we produced less than 1 per cent of the world’s pipfruit.

New Zealand’s pipfruit industry almost had to plan 10 years in advance and had to strive for a uniqueness in the products it sold.

An example of this was this was this country’s development of the Gala and Braeburn apple varieties.

The board also needed to be sure it could handle the expected larger crop in years to come.

This had resulted in the board introducing its controversial two-tier levy for new growers in 1982 to pay for increased storage and handling facilities.

“I think time will show that the industry had a lot of foresight to make provision for that increased crop,” Mr Kiddle said.

On the future of the apple industry Mr Kiddle is optimistic.

The next two decades would be a challenge, “but then orcharding has always been a challenge”, he said.

While prepared to learn from history, Mr Kiddle said he preferred to look ahead.

What next?

“You have got to learn from history, but it is what you are going to do that is important.”

And what is Mr Kiddle going to do?

He would like to stay on the board which has provided him with so much interest in life.

Photo caption – Ken Kiddle packaging stonefruit on his Havelock North orchard.