Next generation of Indian agribusiness leaders coming to New Zealand
Ten high-calibre entrepreneurs and business leaders will visit New Zealand in June to learn about the agribusiness ecosystem here and connect with their New Zealand counterparts. India is one of New Zealand's most significant and fast-growing economic partners — and the Foundation's NZ India Entrepreneurship Initiative (NZIEI) looks to help strengthen this relationship though business-to-business exchange.
About the programme
NZIEI fosters the kind of deep, trust-based relationships that lead to lasting commercial outcomes. The visit will introduce the Indian entrepreneurs to agribusiness leaders in New Zealand to share knowledge, explore opportunities and build the foundations for future collaboration.
The programme reflects a broader strategic ambition: to position New Zealand as India's agri-innovation partner of choice, and to ensure New Zealand businesses are front of mind as India's food system continues to evolve and grow.
Fieldays - a showcase of New Zealand's best
A highlight of the delegation's programme is attendance at Fieldays 2026 at Mystery Creek, Hamilton - the Southern Hemisphere's largest agricultural event, drawing more than 1,000 exhibitors and more than a hundred thousand visitors from New Zealand and around the world each year.
Success of the 2025 Programme
The NZIEI is already opening doors. Rohan Satish Ursal, a fourth-generation fruit trader from Pune and a delegate on the inaugural 2025 programme, recently shipped the first container of Hawke's Bay Rouge apples to India — a connection forged through the NZIEI — and sold out the entire premium stock in a single day. Behind that result was a relationship built on cultural understanding and the credibility that came with being part of the NZIEI. It's exactly the kind of outcome the programme was designed to create.
