Lehmber Singh is up preparing for peak kiwifruit harvest well before the sun rolls over the horizon at his Te Puke orchard.

He's from Chak Chela, a small Indian village home to no more than 1200 people – and grew up at a time where economic development and opportunities for young people was 'very low”.

'There was hardly any economic development at this time. A lot of people thought moving to another country would be a way to have a better future,” says Lehmber.

It was 1988 when he heard about New Zealand, a country which seen as 'crime free, pollution free, and full of better opportunities”.

His cousin, living in Hamilton, sponsored him to make the move.

Lehmber, fresh off of studying English literature, understood his new home was heavily reliant on the horticultural industry, and became a kiwifruit worker in 1990.

He stuck with the job for more than 15 years, and used the industry as a way to get ahead.

'Coming from India, you have to go for opportunities which can help you secure a future and have a good lifestyle.”

It was a decade and a half later in 2005, when Lehmber began running his own kiwifruit company.

Lehmber began running Papamoa Horticulture Ltd in 2005. Photo: Brydie Thompson.

Fast forward to today, Lehmber has gone from being a seasonal worker to being the owner of a successful business which has up to 80 employees during the peak season, on an orchard located over 12,000 kilometres from where he was born.

He says the Bay of Plenty horticulture industry has provided him opportunities which 'simply wouldn't be available” where he grew up in the Indian state of Punjab.

'In India, there's a lot of big, well established businesses which makes it hard to start off.

Lehmber says New Zealand has given him and his family opportunities which wouldn't otherwise be available. Photo: Brydie Thompson.

'I think it was the right decision to move here and start a business. We love our place in Te Puke and are so grateful for the opportunities here.

'New Zealand has given us all great opportunities. My son has recently graduated from university and is a qualified doctor, and my daughter is on the way to becoming one as well. We're having a great time here.”