Justavocados

WEBINAR: Season update - Registration required
2024-07-31 10:00 - 11:00 (Pacific/Auckland)
Join the Darling Group and Just Avocados teams for an update on the export and domestic markets and ensuring a smooth start to your 2024-25 season harvest.
Use the weblink below to register for the event through Microsoft Teams. We look forward to having you attend the event!
There will be lots of opportunity for you to ask questions of the team during this session. If there is something you would like us to cover – please send your questions ASAP to midge@darlinggroup.co.nz.

WORKSHOP: Improving soil function and productivity
2024-08-12 13:00 - 14:30 | Katikati Digital Hub, Mc Kinney Room, 21 Main Road, Katikati, 3129, New Zealand
Venue: McKinney Room, Pātuki Manawa Digital Hub, 21 Main Road Katikati.
Parking: Katikati Main Road or Talisman Drive carpark.
Please join us and our guest speaker Dave Whittaker from Southern Humates as we delve into the topic of unlocking the potential in your orchard’s soil to increase the performance of your avocados trees.
Kyra Fielden will also share information on non-chemical weed control.

Register for this event by emailing communications@darlinggroup.co.nz
A video will also be available on Thrive at a later date.
Tea and coffee will be provided.

WORKSHOP: Pollination in avocados and biodiversity
2024-09-02 10:30 - 12:00 | 207 Hot Springs Road, Katikati, 207 Hot Springs Road, Katikati, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Join the Just Avocados team along with our guest speaker Dr David Pattemore, ecologist and pollination biologist for Plant and Food research and Auckland University. David’s extensive experience and knowledge will provide an open platform for questions and conversation. Put your curiosity hat on and bring your own orchard observations for a deep dive into the world of pollination through David’s eyes.
Thank you to Tom, Grant and Allan King who have allowed us to get together on their orchard for this session.
https://www.plantandfood.com/en-nz/staff/david-pattemore
“My research focuses on understanding the dynamics of pollination systems by integrating across the diverse fields of floral biology, pollinator biology and behaviour, and ecology. I have primarily worked in crop systems such as avocado, kiwifruit, and stonefruit, working on research questions to deliver benefits to crop industries and beekeepers.”
Register by emailing communications@darlinggroup.co.nz
This workshop will be recorded and available on Thrive at a later date.

WEBINAR: 2024-25 avocado export season update
2024-10-09 10:00 - 11:00
Join the Darling Group marketing team for an update on the 2024-25 avocado export season and a discussion of what’s to come.
We will cover:

Export markets
Logistics
Plan for the remainder of the season
Pool results forecast

…and a Q&A session to cover off your queries.
Register at the link below.

GLOBALG.A.P. Continuous Improvement Workshop
2024-12-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Papamoa Community Centre, 4/34 Gravatt Road, Papamoa Beach, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
We are running another workshop on continuous improvement which is a compulsory element for GLOBALG.A.P. version 6 coming into play from 1 January 2025.
This workshop will largely be a repeat of the previous sessions but will build on those with some further updates and simplification to our documentation and sharing of practical examples.
This workshop will help you understand what you need to do to complete this section of the audit.
Please RSVP to Kyra ASAP.

WEBINAR: Darling Group export market update
2024-12-18 10:00 - 11:00
Join the Darling Group marketing team for an update on the 2024-25 avocado export season and a discussion of what’s to come.
Most of the time in this webinar will be allocated to covering off your questions in a Q&A session so please come with a list.
If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to prepare information on to present or other questions you want to ensure we cover – please send them to midge@darlinggroup.co.nz by 10 December.
Register at the link below.

GLOBALG.A.P. Continuous Improvement Workshop
2025-02-24 10:00 - 11:30 | The Centre, Mckinney Room, 21 Main Road, Katikati, New Zealand
We are running another workshop on continuous improvement which is a compulsory element for GLOBALG.A.P. version 6 which is current now as of 1 January 2025.
This workshop will largely be a repeat of the previous sessions but will build on those with some further updates and simplification to our documentation and sharing of practical examples.
This workshop will help you understand what you need to do to complete this section of the audit.
Please RSVP to Midge ASAP

WEBINAR: Darling Group export market update
2025-02-26 10:00 - 11:00
Join the Darling Group marketing team for an update on the 2024-25 avocado export season and plans for 2025-26.
Most of the time in this webinar will be allocated to covering off your questions in a Q&A session so please come with a list.
If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to prepare information on to present or other questions you want to ensure we cover – please send them to midge@darlinggroup.co.nz by 19 February.
Register at the link below.

Meeting: 2024-25 season review and 2025-26 preview (Mount Maunganui + Livestream)
2025-04-10 16:00 - 18:00 | Club Mount Maunganui, 45 Kawaka Street, Mount Maunganui, Bay of Plenty, 3116, New Zealand
Join the Just Avocados and Darling Group teams to take a deep dive into the outcomes and activity in the 2024-25 season and discuss the forecast for the coming season.
PLEASE NOTE RSVPs for this event closed 5pm, 27 March and we are at capacity for the venue and licencing. Please register at the link below to watch this event over a livestream.
https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/ac1dba2c-ca4c-48ba-805b-42adb27385a0@88d4ddc1-5fab-4f50-86c5-9c674a889347

Just Avocados workshop - Fertiliser, pruning, and orchard testing with Hill Labs.
2025-05-01 10:00 - 11:30 | Gordon MacLeod and Jane Watson-Baker, 5 Waiau Road, Athenree, Bay of Plenty, 3177, New Zealand
Hosted by Gordon MacLeod and Jane Watson-Baker where we will discuss basic fertiliser applications and pruning large trees while maintaining production. We will also have Sheena and Caroline from Hill Labs who will cover soil and leaf testing. You will gain a better understand of what happens to your samples when they go to the lab. Topics they will cover are:

Residue testing
Heavy metal testing
Water testing
Soil and leaf testing
Phosphate and Cadmium correlation and testing the soil.
Carbon:Nitrogen and organic matter profile testing, to track soil health changes

Light refreshments will be available.
This session will be recorded and available on Thrive.

Just Avocados workshop - Fruit size, harvest efficiency, and Uretara Orchard update.
2025-07-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Uretara Orchard, 189 Henry Road, Katikati, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand
Join the team from Avoworks for an update on Uretara Orchard and how they achieve cost savings without impacting yield.

Cameron Byrom will talk harvest efficiency and reducing harvest costs.
Nathan Darling will present a fruit sizing chart and a discussion on the cost benefit of fruit thinning.
There will be an opportunity for an orchard walk at the end.

We will start at 10:00am sharp so please arrive at 9:45am for orchard sign in.
Please note – Henry Road is off Busby Road.
Allow 90 mins for this session.
Take extra caution when crossing the river ford in the driveway.
Please register your attendance by emailing hello@darlinggroup.co.nz.
This workshop will be recorded and available on Thrive as soon as possible following the session.

WEBINAR: Darling Group export market update
2025-10-09 10:00 - 11:00
Join the Darling Group marketing team for an update on the 2025-26 NZ avocado export season.
Most of the time in this webinar will be allocated to covering off your questions in a Q&A session so please come with a list.
If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to prepare information on to present or other questions you want to ensure we cover – please send them to midge@darlinggroup.co.nz by 29th September.

WORKSHOP - High density planting and light interception
2025-10-29 10:00 - 11:00
Hosts: Moutere Farm – Kobus and Karin du Plessis
Time: 10.00am – 11.00am
Date: Wednesday 29th October
Location: 268 Woodland Road, Katikati
RSVP: By 21 October to kyra@justavocados.co.nz
Join us at Kobus and Karin’s Moutere Farm Orchard to talk about high density planting and light interception. This is a great opportunity to learn, share ideas, and see practical solutions in action. This workshop will be recorded and available on Thrive as soon as possible following the session.

COURSE - First aid course for growers
2025-11-19 07:30 - 14:30
Time: 7:30am – 2:30pm
Date: Wednesday 19th November 2025
Location: provided upon registration
RSVP: by 21 October to hello@darlinggroup.co.nz
Course details:

Course Type: Non–unit standard training contextualised to your workplace
Cost: $140+gst per person for up to 12, $100 per person thereafter

Includes: Certificates, participant books, and handouts over a 6 – 6.5hr time frame

Optional Qualification: NZQA Unit Standards 6401 and 6402 available upon request

Additional cost: $50 per person
Additional time: 1 hour for assessment paperwork
Government ID requirement: Passport or birth certificate only (driver’s licences cannot be accepted)
Lunch: Please bring your own lunch, tea and coffee will be provided.

Please register your attendance by emailing hello@darlinggroup.co.nz

WEBINAR: Darling Group export and domestic market update
2025-12-15 14:30 - 15:30
Join the Darling Group team for a brief export and domestic market update.
Most of the time in this webinar will be allocated to covering off your questions in a Q&A session.
If you have any topics or questions that you would like us to prepare information on to present, please send them to hello@darlinggroup.co.nz 10 December.

Meeting: 2025-26 season review and 2026-27 preview (Katikati + Livestream)
2026-03-31 15:00 - 18:00 | Fairview Golf Club, 34 Sharp Road, Katikati, Bay of Plenty, 3178, New Zealand
Join the Just Avocados and Darling Group teams to take a deep dive into the outcomes and activity in the 2025-26 season and discuss the forecast for the coming season. There will also be plenty of social time to catch up with individual team members and other growers.
Date: Tuesday 31 March 2026
Event location: Fairview Golf Club, 34 Sharp Road, Katikati
Time: 3pm – 6pm
RSVP by Monday 16 March 4:00pm to samantha@darlinggroup.co.nz
This meeting will also be livestreamed and recorded – the registration link will be shared soon.

DISCUCSSION - Pruning management
2026-04-29 15:00 - 17:00
Hosts: Anton and Chloe Herselman
Time: 3.00pm – 5:00pm
Date: Wednesday 29th April (Alternate date weather dependent Friday 1st May)
Location: Timon Drive off Wharawhara Road, Katikati
RSVP by 27th April to kyra@justavocados.co.nz
Join us at Anton and Chloe Herselman’s to join a practical orchard discussion focused on pruning management.
This will be a mobile, in orchard conversation across several blocks, showcasing a range of tree ages, spacings, and management histories. The orchards are located in a high wind environment and have undergone extensive pruning, providing strong real-world examples of what has worked well and what still needs refinement.
Discussion topics will include managing tree height to improve fruit quality, picking efficiency, and spray coverage, maintaining productive wood while balancing canopy renewal for sustainable long term yields, nutrient balance with a particular focus on managing nitrogen to support growth without compromising fruit set or quality, and thrip control, including why it is becoming more challenging and how to approach it economically.

AgriSea NZ Tour
2026-04-29 15:00 - 17:00
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Date: Tuesday 12 May
Location: AgriSea Business Park, 7446 State Highway 2, RD 4 Paeroa 3674
RSVP by Thursday 7 May to kyra@justavocados.co.nz, please include if you have any dietary requirements. Just Avocados Ltd invites you to join Kyra and Clare Bradley ArgiSea NZ CEO on a factory tour at AgriSea NZ in Paeroa. AgriSea NZ manufactures a range of ocean‑sourced plant and soil applications, including seaweed and fish fertilisers, and also produces humates.Seaweed contains over 60 minerals at a micro level, helping to improve crop performance, resilience, and overall tree health by restoring balance within the tree. Fish fertilisers and humates stimulate and support soil microbial life, improving mineral uptake through increased biological activity and mineral release in the soil.
As avocado roots do not have root hairs and are poor nutrient collectors, they rely on mycorrhizal root connections and other soil biological processes to enhance mineral and water uptake. AgriSea NZ has conducted research across horticulture, viticulture, and market gardens demonstrating improvements in fruit quality and nutrient content, reductions in the nitrogen‑to‑calcium ratio to improve shelf life, improved nutrient availability in soils, and increased earthworm populations, to name just a few benefits.
Notes:

Morning tea will be provided.
Carpooling is encouraged.
We are also aiming to organise a van (seating up to 10 people).
Please let Kyra know your transport preference when you RSVP.

WEBINAR: 2026-27 SEASON KICK OFF
2026-05-18 10:00 - 11:30
Join the Darling Group and Just Avocados teams for our 2026/27 Season Kick-Off Webinar

This webinar will cover key topics including compliance and quality requirements, pre-harvest and harvest updates, and a packhouse update. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions during a Q&A session.
When you register, please include any questions you have on these topics in the questions box.

WEBINAR: 2026-27 season export domestic market update
2026-06-03 10:00 - 11:00
Join the Darling Group team for a 2026–27 season export market update.

The webinar will focus on delivering key insights across export markets, with plenty of time to answer any questions about the season ahead.
Please register using the link and remember to add any questions.
