Ray White Dargaville recently hosted their annual Kumara Competition, and despite one of the driest seasons on record, the competition, which has been running for 11 years now, drew a number of entries from interested locals.
Affectionately known by many as the Kumara Capital of New Zealand, Dargaville is a rural town with a population of approximately 4,800 people. Steeped in history and nestled beside the Northern Wairoa River, Kauri logging, gum digging, shipbuilding and shipwrecks are the heritage of this character-filled town. Kumaras, being a semi-tropical vegetable, grow well in the area due to the regions warm soil and temperatures – and the kumara industry has provided many jobs in the local community.
Kumara growers in Northland’s Kaipara region say three consecutive summers of drought have vastly affected crops. Despite this the Ray White Dargaville Kumara Competition received strong interest. The heaviest entry received was 4.205kg – which, if purchased in a shop, could have cost around $25. Local produce grower, and old identity of the Kaipara District, Robert Vincent was the proud winner taking out both first and second place for his prized kumaras – and is also pictured above with a unique duck-shaped kumara.
Jean Johnson, Principal of Jean Johnson Realty Ltd has been a top selling agent in the Dargaville and surrounding Kaipara area for many years and saw the competition as “an opportunity to showcase our growing talents… Each year Dargaville hosts events such as the Northland Agricultural Field Days, and several major surfcasting and trout-fishing competitions – and while other communities run competitions celebrating the largest tomatoes, pumpkins and the like, we though the Kumara Competition was an opportunity to showcase Dargaville’s heritage and uniqueness.”
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