Hort News 4 May 2021

HORTNEWS

Sustainable is more than just one word – Page 9

Averting cool store crisis MAY 2021, ISSUE 16

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ZESPRI IS looking at increasing its cool store space – both in New Zealand and overseas – as a consequence of shipping problems caused by Covid-19 The company’s chief global supply officer, Alistair Hulbert, told Hort News that with 700 more hectares of SunGold being licensed in the past three years, there is a need to have special cool storage facilities available to handle this extra fruit and to cope with shipping disruptions.

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He says as well as building new facilities in NZ, Zespri plans to lease more cool storage space in some of its key markets – such as China, Japan and Europe.

Even now, cool storage space in NZ can be tight at the peak of the season and that is why Zespri has chartered ships so it can move product on schedule.

“Another reason for increasing our cool store capacity overseas is that there has definitely been a shift to more online sales last year in markets,” Hulbert explains.

“So, that means we need to have more fruit available in cool stores in these markets. We send our fruit to a distributer who puts it into consumer packs and that gives us a more direct touchpoint with the consumer as opposed to the fruit being sold through a retailer. It also helps us build our brand presence.”

Hulbert says there are very strict protocols around when kiwifruit can be harvested – such as dry matter and taste – and the fruit needs to get to market in perfect condition to capture the top dollar. He adds that there

are particular challenges with the new red variety, which has only eight weeks from harvest to consumer.

“The one thing that is happening in all our packing facilities at the moment is temperature checking,” Hulbert told Hort News. “We are observing all the hygiene standards we have in place. We are an industry that lives on our brand and food safety and the integrity of our product and we have always had very stringent standards, so lifting those standards is not new to us.”

He adds that Covid-19 has seen some countries, notably China, impose

new standards on imports. Both Chilean cherries and Argentinian beef have been caught in this regard and NZ is now faced with having to disinfect every pallet of kiwifruit before it can clear customs in Chinese ports.

But Hulbert is somewhat philosophical about this saying Zespri does have logistics staff in markets and they work with MPI and officials in other countries to sort out any problems that may arise.

“We have got be nimble and react quickly and we have got to try and anticipate what might happen,” he says.

Te Puke grower Robbie Ellison has had to deal with the highs and lows of the industry - most notably PSA in 2010 - and they are still transitioning into G3 and moving away from green.

For Ellison, and his family, this has been a bumper season with a record 200,000 trays picked. He says this is even more remarkable given that it's been picked off just 10.7 of the total 12.7 hectares of the property. ¥ See full story page 4

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HORTNEWS

We’ll pick them all!

Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

KIWIFRUIT IS just too valuable not to be picked and despite the challenges of labour and weather, it will be picked.

That’s the message from the Kiwifruit Growers organisation (NZKGI) chief executive Nikki Johnson, who says wet weather and the late maturity of the fruit has slowed down picking. She told Hort News that some employers are faring better than others, which is consistent with other years, and there are still vacancies across packhouse and orchard roles – particularly for nightshift

and weekend work.

“While there is a shortage of seasonal labour, we are focused on ensuring that all kiwifruit will be picked and packed this season. A shortage of labour may mean that managers need to be more selective about when particular fruit gets picked and packed,” Johnson says.

“People may also need to work longer shifts.

However, the industry is extremely focused on ensuring that all kiwifruit is harvested. It is a high value crop, contributing around $2 billion to New Zealand’s kiwifruit regions in 2020.”

Johnson admits that

Wet weather and the late maturity of the fruit has slowed down this season’s kiwifruit picking.

the pandemic has made it harder because there are fewer backpackers coming through the

country and fewer RSE workers from the Pacific Islands. But she’s hopeful there will be enough local

people available to pick the crop.

Johnson says, even before Covid, NZKGI had

developed a long-term strategy to attract people into the industry. She claims the money is good, with packhouses paying the living wage and most orchards above that.

“Picking kiwifruit is very physical work and we are asking people to work for just three months and after that find another job.

“Some of the 23,000 pickers will go on and do winter pruning. That is quite a skilled role so not all the people who have worked with us in harvest will go onto pruning,” she says.

Much has been said about introducing more automation into the kiwi-

MAY 2021

fruit industry, but Johnson says it is already being done in packhouses where two thirds of the labour force are based, but she says using automation to pick fruit is a different story.

“Kiwifruit is a very small industry internationally and there is a high capital cost to develop automation. You could spend $10 billion to develop an automatic picker, but the only place you are likely to sell this is NZ,” she explains.

“Whereas with apples you have got the whole world to sell it to, so there are some unique challenges around kiwifruit and innovation.”

Northland is going nuts PIC’S PEANUT Butter has kicked off a project to look at the feasibility of growing peanuts commercially in Northland.

With backing from SFF Futures Fund, the $91,320 project is led by Picot Productions, with SFF fund contributing more than $59,000.

Research expertise is being provided

by Plant & Food Research.

The project is expected to bring new employment opportunities to the Northland region by trialling growing peanuts in three locations – Ruawai on a kumara farm, Poutu Peninsula near Dargaville, and on Māori land in the Kai Iwi Lakes district.

“We’ve selected three locations with different soil types and environments to see where the peanuts

grow best,” says Declan Graham, business manager – Science at Plant & Food Research, which is managing the project trials.

“A soil temperature of around 18 degrees is ideal,” he says. “So, the window for getting the peanuts in the ground and harvesting them is small.”

Graham adds that Spanish Hi Oleic peanuts, which have smaller kernels and reddish-brown skins, have been identified as the most appropriate cultivar for Northland conditions.

“This type of peanut is most widely used in confectionary and snacks, as well as peanut butter production,” he says. “Their high oil content makes them ideal for crushing.”

However, Graham said the team don’t expect the project to be plain sailing. He says they’ll need to deal with aspects like weed control and pests.

“But of course, the proof will be in the tasting,” Graham says.

“It has always felt a little weird to be making an iconic New Zealand product with imported ingredients,” says Pic Picot, Picot Productions owner and founder.

“These trials have the potential to make a very real difference to our carbon footprint and redirect the millions of dollars we spend on imported nuts to Northland.”

Picot says he’s excited to be involved in a project that may potentially help the Northland community establish a new industry.

Peanuts recently being picked in Northland.

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

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Fruitful 10 years for avocado boss Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND Avocado chief executive Jen Scoular has overseen the industry almost treble in value during the past 10 years.

Scoular recently completed her 10th year as head of industry-good organisation NZ Avocado.

She and her team have helped guide the industry’s value growth from $68 million in 2011 to a forecast $200m in 2021.

She told Hort News that another achievement for her and the team was gaining crown funding for the first horticulture Primary Growth Partnership (PGP) to enable a step change in the industry.

Scoular adds that NZ winning the rights to host the 2023 World Avocado Congress is another feather in her team’s cap.

She says the industry has also worked collaboratively to gain market access and to start exporting to China and India, two of the world’s largest economies.

Scoular has helped raise visibility of the avocado industry, resulting in the Prime Minister opening its conference in 2018, and significant further crown investment.

The industry harvested almost 44,000 tonnes of avocados this season, exporting over 5 million trays. Local sales will top 2.7 million trays.

New Zealand has over 4,000 hectares of avocado trees in production with a further 1,000 hectares recently planted.

All avocados sold in

New Zealand are homegrown, however, supply volumes fluctuate during the year which can create price fluctuations for some consumers.

Scoular explains that the main New Zealand avocado harvest runs from June to March.

There is a low supply of avocados in New Zealand throughout autumn and winter as these months are outside of the main avocado harvest season.

“As with all fresh produce, prices fluctuate throughout the season depending on supply and demand. Avocados trees have a propensity to suffer from irregular bearing, so our total crop can vary quite significantly from one season to the next,” Scoular told Hort News.

“Avocados are a natural super food containing 19 different vitamins, minerals and phyto-nutrients,” she says.

“Avocados originate in Central America, with much warmer, dryer and less windy climates than we have in New Zealand.

Growers need to manage the environmental conditions to produce the delicious avocados consumers love to eat. But mother nature does play a big part in avocado seasonality and supply.”

Scoular says food safety and traceability are crucial to the success of the industry.

The NZ avocado industry has mandatory systems that all growers, packers and exporters must comply with relating to food safety, traceability and quality throughout

During her 10-year helm at Avocado NZ Jen Scoular and her team have helped guide the industry’s value growth from $68 million in 2011 to a forecast $200m in 2021.

“As with all fresh produce, prices fluctuate throughout the season depending on supply and demand.

Avocados trees have a propensity to suffer from irregular bearing, so our total crop can vary quite significantly from one season to the next.” the supply chain.

An orchard management system called Avogreen is mandatory to all export avocado growers in New Zealand.

Scoular notes that the NZ avocado industry has the highest fruit maturity in the world, therefore growers wait for the best maturity before picking, resulting in a cream-

ier taste profile.

“New Zealand’s unique combination of soils, temperatures and sunshine hours results in avocados with a slightly different nutrient profile,” she explains. “NZ grown avocados have higher levels of B vitamins and folate than other avocados grown throughout the world.”

Like many NZ growers, avocado growers are also facing the brunt of Covid-19.

Scoular says, in 2020, all exporters faced challenges with sea and airfreight disruption caused by the impacts of Covid19 around the world.

“Avocados are highly perishable fresh produce, therefore delays in the supply chain can have serious impacts,” she told Hort News.

“New Zealand has seen significant investment into new avocado plantings over the past five years and one of the welcome challenges we collectively have as an industry to do develop markets to ensure there is a home for this fruit.”

WHY AVOS?

AVOCADOS HAVE 19 vitamins and nutrients, including those necessary for a healthy immune system.

Jen Scoular says an increased focus from consumers on health and wellness has contributed to the growth seen across global avocado consumption.

The world’s avocado industry is facing challenges with sustainability, due to the widely reported environmental and social impacts of avocado growing in South American countries, she adds.

“While New Zealand’s avocado growing practices are far more sustainable than those of our South American counterparts, growers acknowledge that there is still room for improvement,” Scoular told Hort News.

“As an industry we are embarking on an avocado sustainability journey and we are prepared to review and change practices where it is identified that more positive outcomes could be achieved.”

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

The lure of kiwifruit helps with conflicting passions Peter Burke peterb@ruralnews.co.nz

ROBBIE ELLISON describes himself as a fisherman with a kiwifruit orcharding habit.

But the reality is that while Ellison may be a good fisherman, he’s one helluva good and highly successful kiwifruit grower. He’s been in the industry since he obtained a horticultural degree from Massey University back in the late 1970s.

His is a family business, based at Te Puke, started by his father-inlaw in 1968. Ellison and wife Karen bought into the business in 1987, which

Robbie Ellison describes himself as a fisherman with a kiwifruit orcharding habit.

RED THE NEW BLACK? ROBBIE ELLISON says the new red variety is ideal and the fact that it is a licensed variety is an advantage because its production is controlled.

He says there are challenges in growing red, one of which is fruit drop – meaning that unless it is picked at exactly the right time the fruit will drop off the vines. Ellison says there can be a similar problem with SunGold as well but notes that if it’s just a fraction of 1%, they can cope with it.

“With red, the chances of fruit drop can rise quickly and this provides challenges in terms of picking,” he explains.

“We picked our red much slower than normal, just to make sure that we didn’t pick soft fruit, because if the soft fruit gets into the pack house it becomes explosive and then a juice can get on other fruit and you can quickly lose a lot of fruit,” he explains.

“So, you have to pick hard fruit and pick it early. Because red has just been commercialised and is still in its infancy as a variety, we are still trying to work out the optimum time to pick red.”

Ellison says the trials with red have been going for five years and reckons this is not long in reality as it takes time to get used to seasonal variations.

He says the other issue with red is that it is very fragile and tends to mark easily.

He concedes that they may a need to provide artificial cover for this particular variety.

It some ways, this goes against Ellison’s view of artificially covering kiwifruit. None of his orchards are covered, but there are extensive shelter belts around them.

“I think there are as many disadvantages with covered as there is without, and we manage our hail risk by being on three separate sites anyway,” he explains.

“Personally, I believe that cover delays maturity and lowers dry matter in some years. It’s also not that pleasant to work under and I just don’t think we need it.

I would put our production up against anyone’s under cover.”

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he says was not exactly a great time given it was the year of the sharemarket crash.

Like most kiwifruit growers, Ellison has had to deal with the highs and lows of the industry – most notably PSA in 2010 – and they are still transitioning into G3 and moving away from green.

Today, the Ellisons have a total of 12.7 hectares of kiwifruit, spread across three separate orchards, which they purchased between 1991 and 2005. Two thirds of their orchards are planted in SunGold G3 and one third in the new red variety.

“The reason for getting out of green was that G3 is a lot more rewarding in every sense and we have taken on the red as a challenge,” Ellison told Hort News.

“We have picked the green block and it went well, but we can do a lot better out of G3 and we can do better out of red. Our fruit goes to the USA, Europe, Japan and China, but Asia is our most important market,” he adds.

For Ellison, and his family, this has been a bumper season with a record 200,000 trays picked. He says this is even more remarkable given that it’s been picked off just 10.7 of the total 12.7 hectares of the property. The reason for this is about two hectares are transitioning and not in commercial production.

“The reason for the big crop is because it’s one of the best growing seasons we have ever had,” he told Hort News.

“We had a very good bud burst, followed by a benign spring and not too much wind in December, and we have had reasonably regular rainfall this summer.”

The picking season is pretty much over and he now has the chance to try and catch that elusive trout in rivers near and far. And while he loves his fishing, Ellison says he will always be a kiwifruit grower.

It’s the lure of fruit not fish that really motivates him in the end. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

BACKPACKERS SOLVE LABOUR PROBLEMS WHILE THERE has been much talk this year about a shortage of people to harvest horticultural crops, Ellison says they don’t have a problem.

His son Scott runs the picking gangs and through his contacts in the ski world, he’s got a group of backpackers from overseas and NZ who pick their crop.

“So, all our pickers here are backpackers, but 50% are New Zealanders who have come home,” he told Hort News.

“We have put in accommodation in the shed and we have got a kitchen, shower and toilets.

Most [of the backpackers] travel in their vans – so they need ablution blocks, lounge and kitchen facilities. This year Scotty has moved to our holiday home so the backpackers have taken over his home as well.”

Ellison says he’s never used RSE workers but does employ locals and now have backpackers.

He says they work flat out all day and they make good money – about $30 an hour. Ellison reckons they work hard to get bonuses and make as much money as they can, to fund their next adventure.

HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Housing eats into NZ’s veggie patch David Anderson

MUCH OF New Zealand’s best vegetable growing soils are being eaten away by housing and lifestyle blocks, which will increase people’s food bills, a new report warns.

The Our Land report – by Statistics NZ and the Ministry for the Environment (MfE) – says the area of the country’s most highly productive land that is unavailable for growing food because it’s been lost to housing increased by 54% between 2002 and 2019.

Secretary for the Envi-

ronment Vicky Robertson warns that without action, fresh fruit and vegetables could get even more expensive.

“Highly productive land is at risk of becoming unavailable for agriculture due to housing developments,” she says.

“Our exports and domestic food production currently rely on the small amount of highly productive land we have.”

Robertson says continuing to grow food in the volumes and quality New Zealanders have come to expect, depends on the availability of land and quality of the soil.

“Once highly productive land has been built on, we can’t use it for production.”

The report points to ongoing development of flat, fertile land on the outskirts of Hamilton, Tauranga, Nelson, Christchurch and Auckland, saying flat-land housing is a cheaper proposition for developers than building on hilly, less productive soil.

It’s not only traditional subdivisions that are crowding out food growing. Residential development of lifestyle blocks is also fragmenting fertile land, especially

in Canterbury, the report says. In 2019, an Environment Aotearoa report said lifestyle blocks nationally had been growing at an average of 5,800 new blocks a year since 1998.

The Government has consulted on a National Policy Statement that would direct councils to better protect top-notch soil when considering zoning and development.

MfE says this is expected by the end of the year.

The Our Land report calls for increased urban density to meet demand for new housing, without pushing food crops fur-

Secretary for the Environment Vicky Robertson warns highly productive land is at risk of becoming unavailable for growing fruit and vegetables due to housing developments.

ther away from population centres.

Horticulture NZ has called on the Government to urgently act to protect land for food production, in the wake of the report.

“This situation simply isn’t good enough, considering that the primary production sector is the backbone of the New Zealand economy and only 15% of land is suitable for food production,” Horticulture NZ chief executive Mike Chapman says.

“The Government

must act now to retain remaining highly productive land. Once houses have been built on it, that soil is lost forever.”

Chapman warns that this is an issue that has the potential to comprise New Zealand’s ability to feed itself, fresh healthy food.

“You only have to drive south out of Auckland to see that this very thing is happening to the highly productive, unique soils around Pukekohe, just as it is happening across the

country.”

Chapman believes that unless something done is to arrest the continuing loss of land for food production, locally grown produce is under threat.

“If New Zealand is not careful, buying healthy, locally grown fruit and vegetables will become even harder,” he warns.

Chapman says the Government needs to act now to protect our ability to grow healthy, nutritious fruit and vegetables in New Zealand.

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Hort sector demands action David Anderson

HORTICULTURAL EXPORTERS, growers, food companies and industry leaders are demanding that the Government develops a plan to allow Pacific Island seasonal workers to return later this year.

Sector representatives have called on the Government and Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi to create a plan that will allow more Pacific Island workers into the country in the year ahead. The industry wants to avoid the devastating impact that is happening to the current season’s crops as the labour shortage hits crisis point with fruit harvesting at its peak.

Due to the labour shortage, thousands of tonnes of fruit has been left on trees and the apple industry alone is already predicting losses upwards of $600 million, with the national crop forecasts down 14% on 2020.

Small orchardist and exporter Bruce Mitchell – whose family has been orcharding for over five decades – left six blocks of Royal Gala apples on the trees this season as he couldn’t get anyone to harvest them.

“It’s so devastating to see the best gala apples I’ve grown just rot on the ground because we didn’t have anyone to pick them,” he explained.

“I was desperate and did everything I could to find people to harvest the apples. On the day we started, I was expecting 20 pickers, but only two

Hawkes Bay apple grower Bruce Mitchell says this year’s labour shortages have meant that 40% of his gala crop could not be picked.

people turned up so we physically couldn’t pick 40% of the gala crop.”

Mitchell is among hundreds of small to large orchardists and exporters who have either left export quality fruit on the trees or have compromised quality as the fruit hasn’t been picked at the optimal time.

New Zealand Apples and Pears chief executive Alan Pollard says he’s aware of leases not being renewed, blocks being pulled out and not being replaced and new tree orders being cancelled.

Last November, the heads of NZ Apples and Pears, NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc, Summerfruit NZ,

NZ Wine, Horticulture NZ, along with the chair of NZ Master Contractors, made a submission to Government for the return of RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) workers to New Zealand. Their submission indicated potential direct losses of up to $1.1 billion and a labour deficit of 11,000 workers across the horticulture and wine sectors in March 2021.

“Now that the harvest is at its peak, these labour shortages are a reality and we are seeing devastating consequences for many growers and exporters, including a serious impact on mental health and resilience,”

Pollard said. “We cannot have a repeat of what has occurred this season. We estimate that we need at least 21 weeks from a government decision to the time that the workers need to be deployed – so there is real urgency to find a workable alternative solution.”

The group is calling on the Government to announce a plan for the return of RSE workers from Covid-free Pacific Island countries and work with the sector to allow more Pacific Island workers into New Zealand.

“We urgently need a plan for 2022 to avoid the carnage we have seen this season.”

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‘Envy Army’ helps get apples to market A TEAM of 45 office-based staff from T&G – known as the ‘Envy Army’ – have been working part-time shifts at the company’s Hawke’s Bay packhouses to ensure its apples get to key global markets.

“Our orchard and post-harvest teams are pulling out all the stops to pick and pack our crop this season,” says T&G director of operations, Craig Betty.

“We’ve had university students pitching in and working alongside our local seasonal team and Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers.”

Last month, five vessels carrying 28,000 cartons (518 tonnes) of Envy apples left the Napier Port for China and South East Asian markets.

Betty says T&G expects to export a high-quality crop of apples to consumers around the world this year, despite severe labour challenges, tight shipping schedules and a global container shortage.

He says the quality and colour of this season’s apples are exceptional – with 70% of the crop harvested by late April.

“As our mornings get cooler in New Zealand, we’re seeing a strong and vibrant colour coming through and a high proportion of high-grade fruit

being packed.”

During the course of the New Zealand export season, T&G will ship approximately two million cartons (200 million apples) of New Zealand grown Envy apples to consumers in 60 countries.

Betty reckons this reflects the brand’s strong demand in global markets, especially in Asia and the United States.

Last month’s ship departure from Napier, marked the beginning of a busy shipping schedule for T&G’s 2021 apple crop, which will depart from both Napier and Nelson Ports over the coming weeks. In mid-April, the company also air freighted Envy apples to China and Malaysia in time for new season retail programmes.

This year, T&G and its partner growers across the world, will grow, pack and sell a total of 5.5 million cartons of Envy.

The company says as demand grows for the apple, it is stepping up plantings in both hemispheres to meet increasing consumer demand.

New plantings over the coming years will produce another 10 million cartons by 2030. @rural_news facebook.com/ruralnews

HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Next level for blueberries Sudesh Kissun sudeshk@ruralnews.co.nz

A FAMILY business growing blueberries for more than 40 years is taking is taking its health food offering to the next level.

The Furniss family is partnering with local companies to launch crafted blueberry foods and beverages.

Their Bluesbros brand was launched late last year. The first products to market include a blueberry jam, chutney sweet sauce, balsamic drizzle and a blueberry and strawberry jam.

The company followed this with a singlesource Solomon Islands chocolate that contains freeze-dried New Zealand blueberries.

Its beverage offering includes a blend of blueberries and other NZ fruits: 100% blueberry juice, blueberry and Hawke’s Bay gala apple juice and blueberry & NZ lemon juice.

All the juices use only NZ fruit, have no preservatives, no artificial flavours, are not made from concentrate, have no added sugar and are rich in fruit pulp.

All the blueberries are sourced from Blueberry Country, a business the family acquired in 1990.

Blueberry Country chief executive Jerem Wylie, who joined the company 20 months ago,

told Hort News that more Bluesbros products are on the way – as part of the company’s plan to take the business “to the next level”.

“Diversifying our offerings and developing new markets both locally and off shore are all options we would like to explore,” Wylie says.

“We currently have a number under consideration, with the second tranche of new products due to hit the market around late April.”

Bluesbros has partnered up with local companies who Wylie describes as specialists in their field and passionate about producing good, wholesome, high quality products. He says the plan is to target the local market first before exporting.

“We are initially targeting the NZ market to ensure we have the products, range and quality matched up with what our consumers are looking for,” he says. “Then we may look to expand distribution to other end markets outside NZ once we are comfortable that we have achieved this.”

Wylie believes that being able to enhance the company’s businesses performance through diversification and value add is important.

“We also want to give consumers additional opportunities to

NATURE’S SUPERFOOD BLUEBERRIES ARE often touted as nature’s super food.

They contain significant amounts of dietary fibre and vitamin C. Blueberries are full of antioxidants, including anthocyanins – compounds that give blueberries their blue colour.

Blueberries contain a higher range of anthocyanins compared to most other berries. The antioxidants in the berries may lower risk of a whole host of illnesses by limiting inflammation and fighting free radicals.

The flavonoids in blueberries are said to possibly reduce risk of cognitive decline and dementia by enhancing circulation and protecting brain cells from damage.

Some studies have linked eating blueberries with decreased blood pressure. Since they are high in polyphenolic compounds, which have been associated with improved cardiovascular risk profiles, blueberries are described as a cardioprotective food.

enjoy blueberries outside the traditional fresh and frozen whole fruit options,” he says.

“Consumers want to know more about where their food comes from and want less processing done to it. We believe this should be key in our decision making when it comes to new product development.”

Blueberries are referred to as a super food – liked by people for their antioxidant properties.

Wylie believes the blueberry industry in NZ is well supplied for the summer period and the industry is endeavouring to make NZ-grown fruit available for more of the year.

“NZ has a great oppor-

tunity to open up new markets on the back of the high regard people hold for our country and the food we produce,” he adds. “This may be everything from fresh and frozen whole fruit to nutraceutical powder and ingredients.”

The Bluesbros brand’s products include a blueberry jam, chutney sweet sauce, balsamic drizzle and a blueberry and strawberry jam.

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Coping with labour shortages Kiwifruit is a key sector for the country's horticulture industry and contributed almost $2 billion to communities across NZ in 2020.

Covid-19 has thrown a major spanner into the country's harvests by severely limiting the number workers, many of whom would usually come from overseas. Mike Murphy of NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc. talked with Bay of Plenty grower and employer Sean Carnahan about the challenges.

Mike Murphy: How have you personally, and as an orchard owner and manager, found it over the past 12 months?

Sean Carnahan: Under Alert Level 4, during the 2020 harvest, we lost a lot of our workers because they were retirees and were required to stand down for obvious reasons. But we were able to backfill with people from our Katikati community who were out of work because their businesses had shut down.

They came from all walks of life and the skillsets were amazing. They got us through the harvest; we were pretty fortunate. Our biggest challenge was managing our workers’ anxiety around Covid-19. As an employer I had to make sure they felt comfortable at work and manage their anxiety – and over time it did lessen.

MM: What has helped you and your operation ensure the crop will be successfully harvested in 2021?

SC: One of the things we’re trying to do with our casual employees,

who are interested in longer term or permanent work, is to develop new activities over the preharvest period so they can work through to harvest.

Accommodation is an issue particularly for people out of region or backpackers. We’re putting in some accommodation on our orchard to meet that need – around 30 beds. We’ve also got pretty good pay rates available, particularly if people are skilled and experienced.

MM: What has had to change in terms of your preparations for this harvest?

SC: With Covid-19 and lockdowns still a risk, we’ve looked long and hard at what we had to do last year during lockdown – the processes and precautions we put in place around social distancing and so on for our packing and picking gangs. The same will apply this harvest if we should have to go back into a Level 3 or 4 lockdown.

MM: How is the season looking both in terms of the crop and suc-

cessfully getting it to market?

SC: The positives out of last year were that it was probably the best weather we’d had for many seasons in my memory, which really helped with the harvest.

Will we get weather like that this year? Possibly not. We have more fruit to pick this year in the same timeframe and if we have any weather disruption that be challenging.

MM: Looking out to 2022 and beyond, how do you see the industry changing and evolving?

SC: As an industry, we need to be able to manage for those weather uncertainties – that stop-start issue. We need to manage our harvest maturity programme better to be able to provide a steady flow through the packhouses in good time.

That will take time to resolve at a higher level – we’re not there yet - but there’s work happening to address the issue.

MM: What do you think needs to happen to avoid any future labour issues

Bay of Plenty kiwifruit grower and employer Sean Carnahan.

for the kiwifruit sector, and indeed the primary sector in general?

SC: Our biggest problem is that everyone in the primary sector is competing for the same pool of labour. And without the natural migration of people into the country taking up casual roles because of the border closures, it’s definitely heightened the competition.

It’s not just about the money either; regardless of the pay rates on offer there’s a big issue in that people are not very transient. There’s a cost to moving around that discourages people coming in from out of region.

I do think the Govern-

ment could relax some of the restriction on workers coming in, from the Pacific Islands for instance, under the RSE scheme. The Government might also revisit the working holiday visa (WHV) programme – maybe offer WHVs for three years rather than six months or a year.

MM: What else would you like to see happening in the industry in future?

SC: Effective resolution of the labour problem is the biggie, but the industry could also look at how automation might help. There’s clearly work happening to automate some aspects of the postharvest processes but the

SHEDS

financial case for putting in expensive technology isn’t strong yet.

MM: What’s your recipe for having a successful kiwifruit growing business?

SC: There are probably five ingredients to that: managing your labour and looking after your workers – that’s critical having good relationships with your funding providers - in good times and in challenging times staying connected with your industry and being active in helping it progress understanding the risks within the business and mitigating those as well as you can – and a big part of that is concen-

trating on the things you can control and not wasting time and energy on the things you can’t – a good Stoic principle and make sure you actually enjoy what you’re doing.

MM: What do you see as the attractions for people to work in the kiwifruit sector, either in a casual, seasonal role or a more long term or permanent one?

SC: I think the biggest attractions are the diversity and variety of work that are available – of which picking and packing are just a part. And it’s a growth industry; it has an exciting future with plenty of opportunities for employment.

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Sustainable is more than just one word Sustainability is a word much bandied about. It means different things to different people or organisations. One company that has a clear definition of sustainability, and a very active programme to put actions beside words, is Trevelyan's packhouse at Te Puke, in the Bay of Plenty. Peter Burke went along to see what they are doing.

SARAH LEI is Trevelyan’s sustainability manager at its packhouse.

It’s the largest, singlesite kiwifruit and avocado packhouse in New Zealand, family-owned and is currently managed by James Trevelyan.

It employs about 200 people on a permanent basis, but at the height of the harvest this number swells to more than 1,500.

It’s a busy place when the kiwifruit harvest is in full swing, with fruit coming in from orchards around the district to be graded and packed into trays for export. Conveyor belts loaded with fruit move rapidly from station to station and technology plays a huge role in the process.

But in Trevelyan’s case, it’s more than just packing trays, it’s the philosophy of sustainability that creates a difference. Lei says the pillars of economic, environment and social sustainability are key to this.

“Economic is about continuous improvement and working smarter,”

she told Hort News. “It’s all very well to be ecofriendly but if you haven’t got a viable business, it doesn’t go so well.

Lei says they have systems that encourage staff to come up with ideas that make the business sustainable. At the beginning of every shift, staff meet briefly to review what is planned and their comments are welcomed.

There are meetings at all levels of the organisations and good ideas are implemented.

All staff entering the packhouse have to wash their hands, which initially was using a lot of water. A staff member came up with an idea and actually made the physical changes to the washing facilities, which reduced water consumption in that area by 85%.

“This is an example of someone having an idea and seeing it through,” Lei says.

The advent of Covid19 saw Trevelyan’s packhouse change forever.

James Trevelyan quickly connected with pack-

house operators in Italy, which had already experienced Covid, and he adopted many of their systems – such as the plastic screens that separate staff. The company also erected a large marquee next to the staff canteen to allow for social distancing.

“The marquee is still there and while it’s not being used much at present, we would need it if Covid levels suddenly changed,” Lei told Hort News. “Before, we used to start the shifts at the same time, but now we offset the shift slightly so not everyone is arriving and leaving at the same time.”

She says this worked well during Covid and they have carried it on because it makes sense in terms of car parking and eating in the canteen.

Agility and being able to respond

quickly – be it to new local rules or international requirements – is now a part of the new business as usual.

“We have to be an adaptive organisation that can move in any direction,” Lei adds.

Trevelyan’s sustainability manager Sarah Lei says the pillars of economic, environment and social sustainability are key to the company’s ongoing success.

CONTINUOUS COMUNICATION CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT is inextricably linked to continuous communication – that is the challenge for Lei and management at Trevelyan’s.

She says it’s about staying calm and rational, and explaining to people why things have to be done in a certain way. In any organisation there are those who are quick to adapt to change and others who are less receptive to doing things differently. But Lei acknowledges that with Covid, people accept the inevitability of change.

“It’s about having good frameworks and being relentless, and sometimes accepting a smaller degree of change than one might have hoped for,” she says.

Good environmental practice is key and the company has a comprehensive recycling programme. It is also looking to reduce its carbon footprint and focus on biodiversity.

Lei says because Trevelyan’s is a family business, it has a strong focus on people. The various continuous improvement programmes are aimed at making people feel valued. Ideas from whatever level of the organisation get recognised by management.

“We survey people who apply to work here and we ask ‘why’ – and they say, ‘because I have got friends and family who work here and enjoy it’ – so that’s the greatest reference,” she says.

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Packer’s good year despite challenges EASTPACK LIMITED, the country’s largest growerowned post-harvest kiwifruit supplier announced a net profit after tax of $12.9 million for the year – up from $4.7 million in 2019.

The company says revenues increased from $170 million in 2019 to $189.3 million on the back of a record 41.4 million trays of kiwifruit packed for its growers.

Chairman John Loughlin claims the results reflect growth despite the significant challenges of the past 12 months and says the company is well poised to deliver results for shareholders in 2021 and beyond.

“EastPack is a volume

business and packing a record crop provided scale to help deliver a robust financial result in light of the challenges of operating in the Covid19 environment. This achievement is a testament to our team,” Loughlin says.

“As the largest postharvest operator, we strive to remain close to our growers but deliver the efficiencies of a large organisation.”

He added that putting its people at the heart of the business, research and development and investment in technology have all featured high on the priority list.

Chief executive Hamish Simson says that

Results at a glance ➤ Packed 41.4m trays of kiwifruit for EastPack growers (up 9% on 2019 volumes) ➤ Revenues of $189.3m (up from $170m in 2019) ➤ Net profit after tax of $12.9m (up from $4.7m in 2019) ➤ Earnings per share of $0.15c (up from $0.07 in 2019)

Eastpack chairman John Loughlin says its end of year result shows growth despite the significant challenges of the past 12 months.

operating as an essential business and bringing clearance testing inhouse, EastPack was able

to continue to pack fruit for its growers – albeit under significant constraints.

“Our staff adapted quickly and worked through all the challenges, resulting in a successful year, packing a record crop at the same time.”

Simson adds that beyond Covid, EastPack has been planning for the future challenges the industry will face for some years.

“These challenges are

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starting to manifest with the ramp up in gold volumes and labour shortages. We have planned ahead and invested early so we are one step ahead at all times,” he says.

“The global challenges of 2020 gave us the opportunity to view our business in a different light and develop new strategies to future proof our operations. With

reduced availability of staff and the significant increase in labour rates, it is essential that the company improves productivity and efficiency of our current assets.”

Meanwhile, Sisson says, from a staffing perspective, the 2021 season is looking to be as challenging as 2020 with borders firmly closed.

However, he adds that EastPack has put several strategies in place.

“A recruitment drive to attract as many staff as possible, more flexible shifts, competitive pay and performance development opportunities for our permanent employees continue to be key to our business.”

HORTNEWS

New apple ‘dazzles’ Chinese consumers – Page 4

0 (print) ISSN 2624-349 4 (online) ISSN 2624-350

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

11

Robots coming to a paddock near you Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WHILE GLOBAL player John Deere and German manufacturer Horsch are believed to be well down the track with autonomous field robots, it looks like Dutch start-up company AgXeed will be the first to enter series production with the aptly named AgBot. Power is provided by an off-the-shelf Deutz four-pot churning out 156hp, this in turn is mated to a generator that powers an electrical driveline at speeds of up to 13.5km/h.

The AgBot is also able to power implements with up to 136hp available through 700-volt electrical connections.

An example is the Imants rotary spader/subsoiler, which was converted to electrical drive for field trial in the 2020 European autumn.

Offering infinitely variable track width from 1,800 to 3,000mm, the robot can carry up to three tonnes out front and up to eight tonnes on the rear linkage and hydraulic flow of up to 80 litres per minute. Implement

mounting is via a largely conventional three-point linkage, although implements are folded over the top of the unmanned machine for transport.

To move between farms a separate twinwheel axle and drawbar assembly is used to move the unit.

The machine’s autonomous functions combine technologies such as GPS, positional sensors and optical recognition to avoid obstacles.

A second unit is about to hit the paddocks of Europe in the coming weeks. This time it is configured with a 100kW (125hp) electrically-driven PTO system that will allow the use of standard implements like power harrows or rotary hoes.

This unit, which will be followed by a third later in the year, will also feature independent track suspension.

The first 10 production machines are expected in 2022, with an expected price tag of around €250,000 (NZ$420,000).

Larger volumes are expected to follow the following year.

By that stage, the com-

pany says the AgBot will be available with interchangeable tracks with a maximum width of 910mm.

Dutch company AgXeed will be the first to enter series production of autonomous field robots with its aptly named AgBot.

Sweet start NEW ZEALAND’S largest citrus grower, T&G Fresh, says it is underway with harvesting the first of this season’s satsuma mandarins.

The company reports that great weather conditions have brought an earlier harvest than usual for the fruit. T&G Fresh began harvesting the fruit in early April and expects between 12-14 million mandarins to be sold in New Zealand retail outlets throughout the season.

Regional manager in Northland, Tom Chamberlain, says thanks to the long, sunny days over the past few months and some rainfall in early January, the fruit has reached a great size and sweet taste earlier than expected.

“Sun is extremely important for the satsuma trees, as they need between 8-10 hours of sunlight a day to thrive,” he says. “We were lucky to have a great summer and some rain, which has resulted in a deliciously juicy and sweet tasting fruit this season.”

Chamberlain says satsuma mandarins have grown in popularity over the past five years and are now the largest volume citrus crop grown in NZ. “Last year T&G Fresh had very strong sales across our mandarins, navel oranges and lemons as consumers gravitated towards citrus products as a natural way to boost their health levels.”

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HORTNEWS

MAY 2021

Despite measuring nearly 13 metres in length and tipping the scales at around 16.5 tonnes, the latest Dewulf harvester is said to be very manageable and easily manoeuvred.

Taking spud harvest to next level Mark Daniel markd@ruralnews.co.nz

WITH MORE than 40 years of two and four row self-propelled harvester production behind them, the latest Dewulf harvester – imported by Ashburton-based New Zealand Tractors – puts that expertise to good use in the shape of the RCA 3060.

One of two, two-row machines operating in central Canterbury, it is tasked with lifting potatoes and carrots for the supermarket trade.

The 3060 is the fifth generation of harvesters based on the Dewulf

R3000 Series that was introduced in 1989 as the first machine to offer a three-wheeled offset layout, combined with a gooseneck front axle/ steering assembly.

Despite the machine measuring nearly 13 metres in length and tipping the scales with a tare weight of around 16.5 tonnes, it is said to be very manageable and easily manoeuvred – with the inclusion of a steerable rear axle unit.

Power is delivered by a 5-cylinder Scania engine that pushes out 350hp. The machine has an engine management strategy that sees only

1,300rpm while roading and 1,600rpm in the paddock. The fully hydrostatic driveline features 3-wheel drive. All the machine’s functions are powered hydraulically, allowing the operator to precisely control ground speed, alongside the speed of individual machine modules to deliver a high-quality sample.

It can produce outputs of 4-5 ha a day and harvesting units can be quickly changed to cover different crops.

The quality starts out front where a haulm topper, featuring extensive use of Hardox steel,

also offers automatic depth control, side-shift and is configurable for multiple crops.

The lifting element uses two sieving webs, haulm roller and a short third web axial module.

The machine features 18 variable speed rollers with a 4-roller Easi-Clean unit to remove clods and stones.

The full-width webs through the machine offer superior cleaning and lessen crop damage through pinch points. It also includes the Synchro Flow function that matches sieve speed to ground speed automatically.

On the top of the machine, a pick-off table allows room for four sorters, with an easily accessible keypad allowing control of up to eight cleaning related functions.

Once sorted, the crop passes to an 11 cubic metre/7 tonne capacity bunker that can be unloaded statically or on the move via a 1,600 mm wide elevator.

At the operator station, comprising a Claassourced X10 series cabin, comfort and quietness are to the fore.

The main hydrostatic control lever features five programmable buttons

for key functions. With regards to machine set up, a single button press allows the operator to configure the machine for differing harvesting situations – such as dry, normal, wet or cloddy – calling on pre-programmed configuration of the individual harvesting and cleaning elements.

The operator also benefits from twin, 10-inch monitors, alongside eight camera feeds from key areas of the machine. In the event of a problem in any area, the operator is warned audibly, while a full screen feed of the affected area is also dis-

played.

A wide range of options allows these machines to be configured for the prevailing conditions, with a list that includes a track assembly for the rear left side of the machine, automatic greasing and autolubrication for the drive mechanism in the bunker hopper.

Offering easy access for routine servicing and high grade componentry from key suppliers such as SKF and Sauer-Danfoss, the machine is said to offer low running costs and an extended service life. www.nzt.nz

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