19 Oct 2012

Kiwifruit breeder honoured by industry

3:14 pm on 19 October 2012

A kiwifruit breeder whose work has added $3 billion to the industry has been honoured.

Russell Lowe from Plant and Food Research was presented with the Hayward Medal by the Kiwfruit Industry Advisory Council.

Council chairman Bruce Cameron says Mr Lowe helped to commercialise the gold kiwifruit variety, resulting in an economic benefit of more than $3 billion to the New Zealand economy.

The gold variety was the first successful alternative to the green Hayward variety.

The medal is named after Hayward Wright, whose innovation and contribution established the modern kiwfruit industry in New Zealand.