Update from Richard Palmer 1 September 2020
Summerfruit NZ, as part of a wider horticulture and wine sector group, has been engaging with government agencies with an aim to ensure sufficient labour is available for our seasonal needs.
Japanese inspector's visit remains uncertain
Japan's MAFF has not yet confirmed whether a Japanese inspector will be coming to New Zealand under the current Covid-19 environment or not.
Picker wrist bands
With the potential that this coming season's harvest workers will be less experienced than harvest workers from last season, Summerfruit NZ is coordinating coloured wrist band orders from growers who...
Export registration now open
Growers, packers and exporters can register for export using the secure portal’s online registration system from 1 September until 31 October 2020.
Central Otago spray applications and monitoring
Now that Bernie Attfield is no longer the South Island SummerGreen Facilitator (as advised last month) she will not be sending any communications regarding application timing for sprays and monitoring...
Hand picking the harvest crew
Last week we updated growers on the work Summerfruit NZ is carrying out with various government departments and local government agencies on the seasonal workforce challenges for the coming season.
Notification of levy rates set
The Summerfruit NZ AGM activated the Biosecurity (Readiness and Response – Summerfruit Levy) Order 2019 for the coming season with the rate set at 0.05%.
SummerGreen winter meeting back on
Growers are invited to attend the rescheduled national SummerGreen winter meeting at the Riverbend Centre in Pukahu or via Zoom.
Seasonal worker website waiting
Finding enough harvest staff is going to be challenging for orchards and packhouses this coming season.