THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE
The year’s realities already bite This year is already shaping up as a tough one for growers, New Zealand and the rest of the world. Nadine Tunley : HortNZ chief executive
Labour is short, inflation is high and supply chain disruption is having an impact. On top of that, January has brought the tsunami in Tonga and the anxiety that creates for Tongan Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers and their employers; and New Zealand moving to red on 23 January, under the traffic light Covid-19 management regime. Our industry was already predicting shortages of leafy greens in February, due to heavy rain disrupting planting for several weeks in December in the key areas of Pukekohe and Horowhenua.
garden if you have to self-isolate? Have you got enough masks and other Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)? And what about your support network? Who can you reach out to as frustrations and emotions mount? There is a lot of information about the management of Covid and wellbeing out there – the Horticulture New Zealand website Covid pages are a good place to start. Over the coming weeks, HortNZ and your respective product groups will continue to lobby government around labour and supply chain challenges.
Now also, there will be the impact of Omicron on getting fresh produce harvested and transported around the country, as well as Omicron’s impact on the export fruit and vegetable harvest. As growers you are now well-versed in managing with Covid. For those that aren’t, this is the time to really come up to speed now that Omicron is in the community. Have you got a plan? Who will manage the orchard or market
The government has stated that its priority is to support critical workers in the food supply and infrastructure sectors. New Zealand’s domestic food supply is the priority. HortNZ and product groups are working with the Ministry for Primary Industries to ensure the government understands what it needs to do, to make sure that our sector can continue to operate to provide New Zealanders with fresh, healthy vegetables and fruit, now and over the coming months.
Editors: Emily Pope Ph: 027 617 6200 Email: emily.pope@hortnz.co.nz Andrew Bristol Ph: 021 021 62 021 Email: andrew.bristol@hortnz.co.nz Advertising Manager: Jackie Enright Ph: 04 494 9986 Mobile: 0274 489 913 Email: jackie.enright@hortnz.co.nz Design: Scenario.co.nz Ph: 04 385 9766 Email: joy@scenario.co.nz Subscriptions: Email: info@hortnz.co.nz
AT WORK
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