Covid-19 has shone a light on the labour issues in the horticulture industry, with shortages being felt across the country as the harvest ripens.
Growers have boosted pay rates to try and lure more pickers.
With the sector looking to grow in size itself, the worker shortage will only grow with it.
But technologists say the tipping point hasn’t been reached where the industry is serious about investing in new technologies.
It’s a lot of money so investors have to pick their moment, but surely that moment is near.
Bryan Gibson
Automation a mixed blessing for fruit sector
Burgeoning crop volumes have prompted the horticultural sector to lift pay rates as it competes on a tight labour market. The shortage and the cost increases put automation and robotics under the spotlight to help ease labour pressures.
Tech conference puts ag in spotlight
After a year’s absence due to the covid lockdown last year, the MobileTECH conference is recommencing, with a focus upon the agri-tech sector.
Maersk to assist as season ramps up
Shipping line Maersk will reposition 2400 empty containers a week from Auckland to the South Island to assist exporters meet the peak of the season.
Fonterra merges Chilean businesses
Fonterra continues to streamline its operations in Chile after merging Soprole and Prolesur into one entity.
Taking time to thrive
Southland dairy farmer Loshni Manikam is on a mission to help farming women get more out of life. Her new free ebook 12 Tips to Help You Thrive shares practical advice on how women can take time for their own needs, while juggling multiple responsibilities.
Tonight on Sarah’s Country
Opinion Maker Tuesday: Future winter feeding systems
As New Zealand's freshwater rules are met with frustration and concern by many farmers, the details of the regulations are already having a flow-on effect on future farm systems.
What will it mean for dairy run-off blocks, grazing dairy stock off-farm, the importing of alternative supplementary feed?
Featured guests include Bayleys Canterbury director Ben Turner and Farmlands head of nutrition and animal health Dr Rob Derrick. And on the panel, we’re joined by Southland Advisory Group member and dairy farmer Paul Turner and Southland Federated Farmers vice-president and sheep and beef farmer Bernadette Hunt.