Tuesday, 15 August 2023 09:03

Labour shortages easing

Written by  Sudesh Kissun
Meat processing sector labour shortages are easing with more migrant workers joining the ranks. Meat processing sector labour shortages are easing with more migrant workers joining the ranks.

Labour shortages in the meat processing sector are easing with more migrant workers joining the ranks.

Under the Accredited Employer Work Visa programme, meat companies are finding it easier to source migrant workers, says the Meat Industry Association (MIA).

It claims that labour shortages cost the meat sector $600 million in lost exports over the past two years – due to carcasses not being fully processed and valuable co-products like tripe and offal being put to one side.

MIA chief executive Sirma Karapeeva says the sector has seen improvements this year.

“It’s getting easier now to source migrant workers,” she told Rural News. “We are still short of workers and there are some delays in processing visas, but the labour situation is improving.”

Another labour issue being dealt with by NZ meat processors is availability of halal butchers. Two cohorts of halal butchers have been trained in Fiji and Indonesia and are being recruited by processors.

Karapeeva says halal butchers need unique skillsets – both technical and religious attributes.

The halal butchers in Fiji and Indonesia have been trained to meet NZ requirements and qualifications.

Halal certified products contribute $4.1 billion of annual export earnings. Processing companies across New Zealand rely on 250 halal butchers, who make up just 1% of the total workforce.

Karapeeva says the sector can typically recruit only 100 halal butchers domestically due to this country’s small Muslim population and the nature of the job.

“A religious component is a fundamental part of the job because they must be a practicing Muslim, which we obviously cannot train for. We have no other choice but to look overseas to fill the vacancies,” she says.

“Halal processing helps our industry capture greater value for our products.”

She adds that having each animal processed by a halal butcher means that different parts of the same carcass can be sent to various markets around the world.

“Halal processing helps our industry capture greater value for our products. Having each animal processed by a halal butcher means that different parts of the same carcass can be sent to various markets around the world.”

From March this year, halal butchers were added to the Government’s Green List work to residence tier, which the MIA described as a positive first step.

This meant that halal butchers, who joined the Green List from March 2023, are able to count time on a work visa from 29 September 2021 towards their work to residence requirement.

More like this

Editorial: NZ's great China move

OPINION: The New Zealand red meat sector, with support from the Government, has upped the ante to retain and expand its niche in the valuable Chinese market - and the signs are looking positive.

Red meat's China push

The red meat sector is launching a new campaign to lure Chinese consumers to New Zealand grass-fed beef and lamb.

Primary sector chuffed

Meat Industry Association chair Nathan Guy says his organisation welcomes the new trade deal with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), noting the UAE is the second largest market for the red meat sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council after Saudi Arabia.

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

Winter grazing warning

Every time people from overseas see photographs of cows up to their hocks in mud it's bad for New Zealand.

ANZ defends farm lending rates

The country's largest lender to the agriculture sector says it's not favouring home loans over farm and business lending.

Machinery & Products

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…

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…

» 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…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter