Summerfruit NZ's interim chief executive, Richard Palmer, is focused on key outcomes for the industry.
The global fallout from the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic is being felt across the horticultural sector, and no doubt by exporters selling the last of this season’s cherry crop. Fortunately, the effects on our sector are relatively limited by comparison to those sectors about to start their harvests.
Value of industry data
What this matter has again demonstrated is the importance of Summerfruit NZ having ready access to key sector information, and networks, that can feed us up to date information on what is happening in New Zealand and offshore. MPI has recently convened meetings with the primary sector to identify export related effects from the Coronavirus pandemic, and the actions to manage it. Our ready access to weekly export information is an excellent example of the kind of information we can take to such discussions when needed, to advocate for the best outcome for the summerfruit sector.
I thank those who have fielded calls from me and my team throughout the season and look forward to us working on improving our knowledge base to ensure we can achieve our key outcomes.
Industry review questionnaire
Those Summerfruit NZ outcomes are currently up for discussion as part of the industry review, being undertaken by Alasdair MacLeod. Alasdair has completed some interviews in Wellington and Hawke's Bay with his focus shifting to Central Otago in early March. For those of you who wish to contribute, but have not been contacted about an interview, here is a link to the on the website to enable your contribution to the review process.
Commodity Levy Order progress
Following the excellent turnout and significant vote in support of the Summerfruit Levy, my team submitted the completed application for the Commodity Levy Order renewal to the Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Damien O’Connor at the end of January. This process now takes some months to go through the rigours of government process, with an expectation that the new Order will be signed before Ministerial warrants are withdrawn prior to the election on 19 September.