YOUR INDUSTRY
Fine Pauuvale from Tonga in the orchard
Not enough Kiwis to fill labour gap on orchards A Tasman orchard manager says the horticulture industry has worked tirelessly to get seasonal staff into the country this year and the resulting shortage leaves him with little confidence in resolving the issue going forward. By Anne Hardie Rob Holtham manages Willisbrook Orchards on the Waimea Plains and says there are not enough Kiwis to fill the void left by Covid-19 restrictions on workers from overseas. Orchards need workers to be productive and profitable, but though the industry has been hammering that message, he feels it hasn’t been taken on board.
Employer (RSE) scheme workers throughout the year. The orchard usually has 30 RSE workers and five went home at Christmas. RSE workers usually make up about 45% of the orchards’ workforce which adds up to about 80 staff, with another 20% employed with Working Holiday Visas and the remainder being Kiwis.
Tasman orchards haven’t had the same shortage of workers as other regions, but he says that is only because of the reduced crop around Motueka after the Boxing Day hailstorm, and he doesn’t think the region would have been able to cope with a full crop.
“We’re only in the position we’re in because our RSE guys stayed through Covid, and during the course of the growing season they’ve been out on other properties.” He says it has “been at some expense” to retain RSE workers through the season, but it was necessary.
At Willisbrook Orchards, they have managed to secure enough workers for the apple and kiwifruit harvests largely because they retained most of their Recognised Seasonal
When recruiting for kiwifruit, there have been few workers making enquiries about positions on the orchard, and he says it has only been as other crops like grapes and hops
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The ORCHARDIST : MAY 2021
