RSE WORKER ACCOMMODATION BUNKS, BEDS, STORAGE & MATTRESSES

The quality of labour varies widely, Richard says. Glenview has not used Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers so far. It has relied on local contractors and the labour it could find – even the local rowing squad and university students.

‘’Constant supervision is required in the first stage of harvesting the fruit. After that, everyone in the supply chain must do their bit properly.

‘’With apples, bruises become apparent quite quickly but with kiwifruit, damage from incorrect handling may not become obvious until six to ten weeks after harvest.’’

In a reasonable year, Glenview will produce around 15,000 to 16,000 trays a hectare in Gold, 10,000 trays in Hayward and 9,000 to 10,000 trays in Red. In the 2022 season Glenview achieved the top OGR (Orchard Gate Return) among EastPack Waikato kiwifruit growers for its Gold crop.

‘’That was a welcome recognition for the effort our staff and contractors make in our orchard.’’

But then there was the October 2022 polar frost event. As with many Waikato and Bay of Plenty growers, Glenview experienced widespread damage. It is now focused on the need to better prepare for similar cold snaps in future.

‘’We lost 100 percent of our Hayward crop and about 60 percent of Gold. We cut back about one-third of our Gold vines to allow them to regrow over the summer. The Red crop was protected by water and it survived. The polar frost was supposedly a once in 40-year event. We do have frost protection over the Red and 7ha of Gold with sprinklers putting out about 2.5mm of water an hour,” says Richard.

‘’Going forward, we’re doing a lot of upgrades in risk management, frost protection and irrigation. We’re hoping we’ll get enough fruit from this season to break even.

‘’It (the frost) knocked us around. But not just us. About 65 percent of the Hayward in the Waikato has gone and a large chunk of the Gold. The effect will really be felt next year. At the moment we’re still getting income from last season.

‘’We are mindful that there are growers who have lost their crop, and those growers do need support from their fellow growers.”

Glenview is in the midst of farm succession planning. Richard is the operations manager, his son Matthew, 34, is the orchard manager.

Matthew has a Bachelor’s degree in science with a major in Earth Sciences and a graduate diploma in Business Management – all through Waikato University. Matthew worked for EastPack in the Bay of Plenty for four years, then went on OE before taking on this role.