Hort News August 2022

Page 1

HORTNEWS AUGUST 2022, ISSUE 24

WWW.HORTNEWS.CO.NZ

Diamonds in the rough? – Page 6

ISSN 2624-3490 (print) ISSN 2624-3504 (online)

Labour snags hit quality

Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

LABOUR SHORTAGES on orchards are beginning to impact the quality of New Zealand products in global markets. Speaking at the recent NZ Primary Industries Conference in Auckland, Zespri chief executive Daniel Mathieson says the lack of people across the supply chain has seen quality standards slip. “This is a real serious issue,” he told a panel discussion on labour challenges

facing the farming sector. “As agribusiness producers, we make our money by being the best in the world, with the best quality in the world,” Mathieson says. “I think over the last two years, with the lack of people across the supply chain, we have seen our quality standards start to slip.” Mathieson believes this is starting to erode customer goodwill and value we can get in the marketplace. The conference heard from Hort NZ that this season there would be

a shortfall of 6,000 workers under the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme. While labour shortages remain a major challenge on farms, Mathieson believes it provides the agribusiness sector opportunities in two areas: helping temporary workers transition into full-time jobs; and getting the balance right between NZ workers and those coming into the country to work under RSE and other schemes. He says the days of temporary workers are gone. “It’s probably not going to return,

and we must face up to reality and start restructuring our businesses to take in more people on a permanent basis.” He says that’s the “big discussion” Zespri is having with Kiwifruit growers. “We don’t want people just turning up for a few months and then going somewhere else. We have to be sure they are actually coming, developing and learning new skills and then they stay and progress with the industry and company.” Mathieson says farmers and growers must first focus on NZ workers.

SUN POWER!

However, he points out that they won’t be enough. “We have enormous growth ahead of us in all our businesses,” he says. “NZ is a great country to supply the world but will need people to need to do that. We need to get a balance, between demonstrating a good healthy growth for the NZ workforce sector while getting a good balance of people coming into the country. “We haven’t got the balance right and the time has come now to reset and get that balance right.”

PHOTO: DAVID BAIRD PHOTOGRAPHY.

A CANTERBURY vegetable growing company recognised for its environmental initiatives has gone a big step further with the installation of one of the South Island’s bigger solar units to power its packing and storage facilities. Oakley’s Premium Fresh Vegetables Ltd has put in 564 solar panels at its Southbridge base and these are expected to provide 40% of the company’s annual energy demands. Pictured in a broccoli field on the company’s Southbridge site is managing director Robin Oakley. See full story page 8.

O NZ! NEW T TOR EFOLIA

RING!

R SP URE FO

SEC

CHARD BA OR

ER SPRAY

odels litre m r 3000 box o 0 0 0 d gear 2 2 spee h it w fan ide 920mm s per s r nozzle e v o ll o 10 r ric or l, elect Manua control te autora

REE D PPLE T

A

the m both ves fro of the row, a le s e Remov and interiors f removal a e outsid g selective le in achiev he fruits y t tes eas around facilita n ig s e ct d Compa y ations tr combin row en le ib s s ight f po king he itude o A mult t to your wor h, s in widt to adju frame nders le b a t yli jus raulic c rced ad Reinfo nd tilt by hyd nts e a height our requirem y to suit

0800 833 538 | www.bapumpsandsprayers.com


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.