Mr Curtis will be a grower director on its board.

Mr Curtis will replace vegetable grower Michael Quach, based outside of Darwin, who is stepping down after serving over three years on the board.

He own and operates Katherine-based family business King's Farms, which is one of the Territory's biggest horticulture businesses, producing more than five million mangoes every year.

King's Farms began in 1989 and was one of the first mango growers in the Katherine region.

The business has diversified into other melon and vegetable crops, including watermelon, pumpkin and eggplant, as well as an expansive apiary for pollination and honey production.

AUSVEG chair Bill Bulmer welcomed Mr Curtis onto the AUSVEG Board, saying the NT vegetable industry was lucky to have a strong and passionate local advocate with a wealth of on-farm experience that will greatly benefit the national industry.

More reading: Mango pickers trial to go ahead.

"The Northern Territory is becoming an increasingly important sector in the national agriculture industry, with its horticulture growers contributing a great deal to this growth," Mr Bulmer said.

"Growers in the Northern Territory are facing significant issues in sourcing labour, which has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. But despite the challenges growers in this part of the country face, the industry is resilient and will continue to produce high-quality fruits and vegetables for local and international markets."

"King's Farms is a successful business with a long history of producing high-quality fruits and vegetables. Mitchael has proven himself to be a highly effective business owner and has a strong track record of industry advocacy for growers in the Katherine region.

"Mitchael will be a perfect addition to the AUSVEG Board. On behalf of the Board and the AUSVEG team, I congratulate Mitchael on his appointment and look forward to working closely with him to advocate for the Northern Territory vegetable and horticulture sectors."

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