Friday, 08 May 2020 09:25

COVID-19: Hort sector’s impressive response

Written by  Peter Burke
Hort NZ chair Barry O’Neill says the sector has collectively and positively. Hort NZ chair Barry O’Neill says the sector has collectively and positively.

HortNZ chair Barry O’Neill is impressed with the way the horticulture sector has worked collectively and positively on all the issues it has faced.

He says, in particular, the industry has done a first-rate job in responding to protect the health and safety of staff during the crisis. O’Neill says employers have responded very professionally in making the health and safety of their staff the number one priority and have instituted policies and added special barriers inside packing sheds to ensure social distancing requirements are met.

“In some of the big packhouses that has resulted in lower throughput and them having to pack much slower because fewer people could be employed to meet social distancing requirements,” he told Rural News

“Over the last couple of weeks, we have been working with MPI with most packing sheds have installed perspex screens, which enables people to work closer together. This, in turn, has allowed the packhouses to employ more people and – in most cases – throughput in these places is almost back to normal. Social distancing has also impacted on how much fruit can be picked in orchards,” he says.

One issue that has yet to be fully resolved in the sector is that of workers who come each year from the Pacific Islands to work on orchards and commercial growing operations under the RSE (recognised seasonal employee scheme).

O’Neill says a number of issues have arisen in respect to these workers as a result of COVID-19. 

He says the RSE workers are an important part of NZ horticulture and hopes they will continue to be in the future. 

But with travel bans in place, those workers who are in NZ cannot get home and those back in their own countries and were hoping to come to NZ soon cannot travel either.

“Obviously, it needs to be recognised that every RSE worker has a family and that family has been impacted,” he explains.

“The future of RSE workers is one we have to consider and find a sustainable way the scheme can operate,” he says.

Labour shortages have long been a problem for the horticulture sector, but since COVID-19 arrived on our shore many out-of-work Kiwis have found jobs in the sector. O’Neill says the number one priority of the sector is hiring unemployed New Zealanders.

More like this

Boost for hort exports

The horticulture sector is a big winner from recent free trade deals sealed with the Gulf states, says Associate Agriculture Minister Nicola Grigg.

Kiwifruit sector's big night out

The turmoil and challenges faced by the kiwifruit industry in the past 30 years were put to one side but not forgotten at a glitzy night for 400 kiwifruit growers and guests in Mt Maunganui recently.

Applications for HortNZ scholarships now open

Applications are open for Horticulture New Zealand’s (HortNZ) 2025 scholarship programme with18 funding opportunities for students with a special interest in the commercial fruit and vegetable industry.

Ideal weather for growers

Specialist horticulture and viticulture weather forecasters Metris are reporting near ideal spring start conditions for fruit growers this season.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

Scanning data at your fingertips

A partnership between two technology companies in Hawke's Bay is making orchard data more easily accessible to growers using new…

Machinery & Products

NH unveils specialty tractor

New Holland recently showcased its new-generation T4.120 F specialty tractor, giving New Zealand customers a closer look at the winner…

Combining track and tyre

While the last fifty years has seen massive evolution and development of the humble tractor tyre, the last two decades…

Croplands goes nuts with Nelson

Croplands and Nelson Manufacturing Company Inc, a California-based manufacturer of air-blast sprayers, has announced a new distribution partnership to deliver…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Review SOEs!

OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of…

Bank reset

OPINION: Adding to calls to get banks to 'back off', NZ Agri Brokers director Andrew Laming has revealed that the…

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter