Labour shortages could provide a challenging start to the New Zealand apple season, according the Pipfruit New Zealand business development manager, Gary Jones.
With industry sources forecasting harvest to get underway up to ten days later than traditional start dates, Jones noted there would be more work to do in a shorter space of time.
Over 5,000 Pacific Islanders will come to New Zealand to work over the course of the season. The key Hawke’s Bay growing region also has a seasonal workforce of around 12,000 employees to draw from.
However Jones said growers across the country would still have a battle on their hands to get their fruit off the tree and into packhouses in optimal condition.
“The Nelson and Central Otago growing regions are very challenged, now the Nelson crop is only about a week later but again it's a big job there, and in Central Otago it is difficult to find workers as well because there's just not the big urban environment around which you can bring those workers from,” Jones told Radio New Zealand.
“The tough front end is getting the fruit off the tree and 550,000 tonnes of fruit up and down an eight foot ladder in the heat of Hawke's Bay, Nelson and Central Otago summers is a lot of hard work, and we really struggle to get enough workers that are available to come and help us.”
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