Central Otago Producers Flooded by Interest Level

Central Otago’s horticulture and viticulture sector acknowledges it underestimated kiwifruit interest in seasonal work and is struggling to deal with “skyrocketing” applications, says an industry leader.

The industry has faced criticism for failing to respond to requests from New Zealanders seeking recruitment jobs and for relying too heavily on recognized seasonal employer (CSR) workers.

Summerfruit NZ CEO Richard Palmer accepted the criticism, saying the industry was working to clear an application backlog that was leaving growers overwhelmed.

“We have had a fantastic response, it is much more than we thought we would get.”

However, the way growers were dealing with job applications and juggling their job duties, including fighting frost twice last week, was becoming a concern, he said.

“Applications have exploded and producers are a bit overwhelmed.

“This is pure capacity, since the numbers [of applications] ramp up.”

He and other leaders would work more closely with gardeners to process applications and be clearer about conditions, including start dates, Palmer said.

“Our message has to be that there is a long way to go in the harvest and the days are a moving party.”

When asked if the producers had been complacent, Palmer said there had to be more communication across the industry.

“Many have not yet started harvesting, but we will do more to encourage growers to respond.”

Stakeholders and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) had funded a full-time labor market coordinator to help process applications and place workers in suitable positions, but the number of applications did not necessarily translate into a force. adequate work.

It’s too early to tell if the industry has the number of workers it needs, Palmer said.

CSR workers were a key component of the worker mix at Central Otago, but a fraction of the overall total and many gardeners and wine growers did not use the scheme.

Palmer said the industry had not pinned all its hopes on the return of CSR workers.

Strong lobbying from the industry has meant that 2,000 additional Pacific CSR workers will be able to return to the country starting in January.

The government has further improved the treatment for temporary Kiwi workers in orchards and vineyards, offering up to $ 200 per week of accommodation allowance, wet weather payments equal to the minimum wage, and an incentive payment of $ 1,000.

MSD General Manager for Employment and Housing Policy Hayley Hamilton said there was a condition.

Applicants had to move to take a seasonal position of six weeks or more, for example to a different region, in order to receive accommodation costs and incentive pay.

To receive lodging expenses, they must have ongoing lodging expenses at home.

New Zealand’s Seasonal Work Plan aimed to address some of the barriers New Zealanders faced when considering seasonal jobs, particularly relocation costs and unstable incomes, he said.