New Zealand is due to have the first batch of vaccine arrive at the end of next month, with quarantine and border workers and their households scheduled to be the first to receive it.
But despite “essential workers” being categorised by the Ministry of Health (MoH) as a priority group, the sector has not yet received any indication vaccinations are imminent.
Instead, the industry is gearing up for the season with last year’s covid lockdown protocols in place, if required.
NZ Apples and Pears business development manager Gary Jones says at a high level the industry is interested in exploring options for vaccinating Pacific Island staff travelling to NZ through the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) programme.
“But there are still a lot of questions about the vaccines, including ‘does this mean a vaccinated person is still infectious?’” he asked.
“There is a lot to consider in the next 12 months. If we can get some good science around that, then people may be more interested in it.”
He says the Pacific Island economies have been devastated by covid’s impact upon job opportunities here. There was also a heightened awareness of their vulnerability to covid infection, based on a history of past epidemics.
“Tonga is not really opening up at all, they are so concerned about bringing the virus back,” he said.
So far, the horticultural sector has been granted access to 2000 RSE workers, of which 1500 will be heading straight into pipfruit harvesting.
“There are 620 on the ground now and every four days another 156 are coming out of quarantine,” he said.
In the meantime, he says the pipfruit sector is acutely aware of the need to protect supply chain integrity by keeping covid out. This has been sharpened with reports of Chinese issues around some NZ seafood processing plants this week.
A NZ Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated spokesperson confirmed the kiwifruit sector has had no indication there will be any particular vaccination priority given, with harvest commencing in about five weeks for SunGold fruit.
Kiwifruit processor Apata’s chief executive Stue Weston says the sector is well prepared should a covid alert occur as it did last year when harvest had commenced.
“We did really well last year under lockdown and if we have to go in again, the protocols and practices are all there ready to go.”
Hawke’s Bay-based Thornhill Horticultural Contracting managing director Richard Bibby says he was not expecting any vaccine prioritisation of essential harvesting staff.
Last year’s practices worked out well, including splitting his 320 staff into working “bubbles” of 25 in each.
In Blenheim, Hortus staffing contractor Aaron Jay says the standard of health and safety he was operating under was tighter than it had ever been.
He had pulled out of Bay of Plenty last year, but was still unsure this year if they would be back there.
“We have to bear in mind, the RSE guys, their immune systems are not accustomed to disease and we don’t want to risk their exposure,” Jay said.
