New Zealand-based fruit packer and coolstore operator Satara Cooperative Group has announced that full-year earnings fell by 24 per cent during the full-year of 2009, down to NZ$4.7m (€2.4m, US$3.3m) from NZ$6.2m (€3.2m, US$4.3m)) in 2008.
According to the group, the decline in earnings was attributed to a poorer harvest that yielded lower fruit volumes, scoop.co.nz reported.
In a bid to counter this, the group has enhanced its focus on cost-cutting and increased operational efficiencies, including the introduction of new automatic fruit pickers.
'Our major focus has been on labour utilisation, and a focus on technology as a way and means to control costs,' said group CEO Wes Anderson-Smith. 'This business, like many in the primary sector, has fine margins. We have found ways to slime the organisation down, while continuing to do all we can to drive grower returns.'
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