For the third season running, Central Otago orchardist Mike Casey has delivered a two-kilogram box of cherries to every Member of Parliament, but last week’s drop-off marked the first time the fruit arrived on Parliament’s forecourt in a fully electric truck.

Mike said Ross Linton, from trucking firm Etruck, “came to the party”.

The truck collected the cherries from the Mt Pisa orchard, stopped for “a cheeky charge” in Christchurch, then continued to Picton and across Cook Strait.

“The ferry was the only fossil fuels that were involved,” Mike said.

His goal for next year is to see the cherries cross the strait on an electric ferry.

“Then it will be a fully electric cherry migration the whole way,” he said.

Mike said the arrival drew plenty of interest from MPs, with many coming outside to greet the delivery, climb into the truck and talk with those involved.

Oppositon leader Chris Hipkins and the electric delivery truck. Image: Facebook

He acknowledged the annual stunt raised eyebrows.

“People come up and ask, ‘Are you bribing politicians?’ And my answer to that is, well, I’m bribing them all equally,” he said.

Each box was worth close to $90.

But Mike said the cherries were less about currying favour and more about opening a cross-party conversation on electrification.

“I want it to not be a political hot potato, because I genuinely believe, no matter what side of politics you’re on, electrification is good for the country,” he said.

“From an energy sovereignty, an energy security, an economic and a climate perspective, everybody wins.”

Mike said National MP and deputy speaker of the House Barbara Kuriger played a key role in helping get the electric truck onto the parliamentary forecourt.

Security had been “pretty nervous” about vehicles entering the precinct after recent protests and stunts, and Barbara helped “convince Gerry Brownlee” to allow the electric truck through.

Cromwell orchardist Mike Casey and National MP Barbara Kuriger, wearing a cherry-themed dress. Image: Facebook

Mike said he first met the MP at a farmers’ event in Taranaki, where he was speaking about electrification.

After he outlined his plan to deliver the cherries to MPs, “she was fully on board with it”, and later turned up on the day in “cherry shoes and a cherry dress and cherry earrings” to welcome the truck.

He said the annual cherry drop had also become a way to put Central Otago front and centre for Wellington decision-makers, alongside larger horticulture regions.

"The Hawke's Bay, when it comes to apples, is a bigger line item on a spreadsheet," he said.

“One of the unintended benefits of doing this is that I’m also representing Central Otago and our fruit growers.

“It’s really good to get in there and show them what’s going on.”

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