Peter Ombler stepped down yesterday as president of industry body New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) after more than three years in the role.
Ombler’s hand on the tiller has guided the association through a turbulent few years, from challenges to the kiwifruit industry’s single-desk export structure to the outbreak of the Psa vine disease.
He steps down most of the way through his second term – a long stretch for the role – and will pass the reins to the body’s vice president Neil Trebilco.
“I probably reached a natural juncture to step aside,” Ombler told Asiafruit Magazine. “It gives the next president a six month stint…before the next election. I think the time is right to have a change.”
Ombler will now be spending more time on his own orchard to the south of Mount Maunganui, and he is also still on the board of directors at Kiwifruit Vine Health, the body tasked with managing the New Zealand industry response to Psa.
Looking into the future, Ombler believes New Zealand’s kiwifruit sector has a bright future despite the challenges from Psa.
“By March next year I think we’ll have a fairly clear recovery pathway for growers, and also for banks to be able to support the growers,” he predicts. “Looking beyond that I see a very bright future.
“Everything is in place to successfully sell a kiwifruit crop well. We’ve just had a production issue that we’ve had to deal with; a fairly major production issue, but the more I look at it the more confident I am that we can deal with it.”
