Summerfruit season starts well

Chief executive Kate Hellstrom says cherry, nectarine, peach and other summerfruit growers are reporting a positive start to the 2022-2023 season.

“Fruit quality is good plus there are more people than last year available to pick the fruit,” she says.

“This is due to the attraction and retention campaigns that the industry has been running for the past few years, and the fact it is easier to enter New Zealand now our borders have been freed up.”

Hellstrom adds that having enough people to pick and pack is vital.

“There is nothing worse for a grower than fruit being left on trees and going to waste, which is the situation some of our growers have been in, in recent years.”

She says the summerfruit workforce is made up of young and older New Zealanders, as well as Working Holiday Visa scheme holders and workers from the Pacific.

“It is heartening that things are looking more positive for this season. Now all we need is the weather to play ball and there to be no bad weather events like hail over the next few weeks.”

In early 2020, the Otago export cherry crop was badly affected by rain and cold temperatures.

Summerfruit export volumes are expected to be higher than last year, but this will be subject to a number of factors – especially the weather.