Grower swaps veges for limelight

A Baldivis vegetable grower will swap the farm for the world of showbiz later this month when he appears on hit cooking show My Kitchen Rules.

Coles supermarket supplier Troy Cukrov, who grows more than 25 different types of vegetables at his farms in Baldivis, Oakford and Pinjarra, will talk about his innovative approach to farming and his role in the supermarket supply chain.

UWA PhD graduate Cukrov, who co-owns Trodan Produce with his father Danny, said the business was the first in Perth to establish a protective shade house which moderated the wind, heavy rain and storms and produced large numbers of capsicum, eggplant and Lebanese cucumber.

He said the family-run business had come a long way since the family started out as baby leaf growers 15 years ago.

“After university I began to lease a little bit of land and grow parsnips at weekends, which ended up providing a great return on investment, and from there a business was born,” Cukrov said.

“Our new 50ha site at Pinjarra is a huge step for us and will add to our 5ha shade house and 6ha of outdoor land for baby broccoli and cos lettuce at Oakford, as well as our 40ha for baby leaf at Baldivis.”

Cukrov said the whole family, including wife Alison and daughters Zoe and Mia, were big fans of the popular Channel Seven show.

He said it was a great experience to be included in a show which encouraged viewers to get into the kitchen and cook and eat real food.

“By including growers in the series, it is showing people that the food on the supermarket shelves comes from local farms.”