YOUR INDUSTRY
LEWIS FARMS’ STRATEGY DELIVERS Words by Andrew Bristol
Geoff Lewis, Catherine Lewis and Cam Lewis, the trio behind Lewis Farms
Lewis Farms’ strategy to turn as many seasonal positions into permanent roles as possible is going to plan, with 12 seasonal roles now permanent. “As we expand our berryfruit operation, this number will continue to grow,” says Geoff Lewis. “The past season was our third harvest of strawberries, and it’s gone very well. More growth in this space will benefit the careers we can offer.” At this stage in its evolution, Lewis Farms is probably more famous for its asparagus, which has been marketed under the Tendertips label for more than 35 years. “This season, net asparagus volumes were down on what we budgeted for because the Horowhenua had a very cool spring, so we had some quite big holes in our production. “The New Zealand asparagus industry is now predominantly reliant on the domestic market, which doesn’t make for an easy supply environment. For the industry to become internationally competitive again and get future export opportunities across the line, we need to become far less reliant on labour. This is why the automated harvest initiative, which the Ministry for Primary Industries is now supporting financially, is so critical to the future of our asparagus industry.
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NZGROWER : APRIL 2021
“The world’s asparagus industry is also very interested in the project: so interested in fact that they are willing to invest in it, which in itself demonstrates New Zealand’s ability to innovate.” While Lewis Farms’ interest in automation might seem contradictory to its strategy to grow as many permanent roles as possible, given horticulture’s chronic labour shortages, it’s actually not. “Labour is the biggest challenge facing horticulture in the Horowhenua, as well as the rest of the country,” says Cam Lewis. “We are competing for the same, shrinking pool of people, along with other industries like the meat works, which offer a greater number of permanent roles.” (Also see Woodhaven Gardens story.) “Horticulture in the Horowhenua has such a lot going for it: soil, climate and close proximity to markets, due to State Highway One. This also makes the Horowhenua very important for the rest of New Zealand’s supply of fresh vegetables. “At Lewis Farms, we are fortunate to have a loyal core workforce. However, it is hard not to be pessimistic in the current environment, and labour for harvest remains our biggest concern.”
