Sprouting success: Students hit the road to gain firsthand insight into horticulture industry

Ranging from first year to postgraduate, 35 students were joined by Senior Lecturers Dr Svetla Sofkova-Bobcheva and Dr Donita Cartmill and Tutor Milan Vladisavljevic from the School of Agriculture and Environment for a four-day immersive tour. The aim: to explore the horticultural value chain, from seed to market and inspire the next generation of industry leaders.

The trip was made possible through the support of the Vegetable Industry and its Centre of Excellence (VICE) programme, along with the Massey Horticulture Society.

The journey began in Palmerston North, with the first stop in Ōhakune, home of the iconic giant carrot statue. There, students visited Kim Young & Sons, a third-generation family business known for growing carrots and potatoes. They learned about the region’s deep carrot-growing history, first introduced by Chinese settlers in the 1920s, and how the area’s loamy volcanic soils make it ideal for vegetable production. Also on the itinerary that day were visits to the National Wetland Trust of New Zealand, which works to raise awareness of wetland conservation, and Kaipaki Berries, a large-scale grower of strawberries and raspberries using modern in-field picking and packing techniques.

Day two offered an in-depth look at seed innovation and research as they made their way up country toward Tāmaki Makaurau. The group started with a tour of Enza Zaden, a global seed breeding company, to view their lettuce and pumpkin trials. Following this was a visit to the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research, where students heard presentations from Enza Zaden, T&G Global and Bioforce, a company specialising in biological pest control. The day concluded with a career panel and field walk hosted by Vegetables NZ through its Vegetable Research and Innovation programme. The group also visited Balle Bros, a long-standing farming operation in Pukekohe focused on sustainable practices and technology adoption.

On day three, students explored the future of horticulture. They visited Helius Therapeutics, a biotechnology company producing medical cannabis products, followed by a tour of global exporter T&G Fresh’s tomato packhouse. The group also visited Wilcox Packhouse, a fourth generation family farm focused on onions, potatoes and carrots, and wrapped up the day at Terranova Trial Farm, a specialist seed supplier to commercial vegetable growers.

The final day included the scenic journey back to Palmerston North, with a few sightseeing stops along the way including Taupō and Huka Falls.

Second-year Horticultural Science student Katja Newberger says the trip provided some incredible experiences.

“I had an absolute blast on this trip, and learned so much about vegetable farming, soil, packhouse procedures and more. Everyone we met had such an incredible range of expertise from fourth generation farmers to seed experts to pumpkin geneticists. My trips to the grocery store are so much better informed. Thank you to Massey, our professors, Enza, VICE and all of the growers and operators who gifted us such an amazing opportunity!”

Dr Sofkova-Bobcheva says given the success of the trip and the positive student feedback, she’s keen to continue offering this opportunity to students as part of the horticulture programme.

“A huge thank you to the Vegetable Industry Centre of Excellence for the generous funding and making this trip possible. It’s been fantastic to see our students so engaged and inspired. They’re seeing firsthand how their studies translate into real-world impact, and that’s invaluable for shaping future industry changemakers.”

Interested in a career in horticulture?

Learn more about the Bachelor of Horticulture Science.

A one-of-a-kind degree in Aotearoa New Zealand, fully co-designed with industry partners to meet real-world needs.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Agribusinesses – Horticulture Management.

Focused on building profitable and sustainable horticultural businesses while learning the science behind food crops.

Look out for our new degree, Bachelor of Horticulture and Plant Systems, coming 2026 (subject to CUAP approval). More information will be released before the next academic year.