“The growing has been done, the farmers have done the hard work. It’s important we deliver on the growers’ work and also the needs of feeding the country.”
But it’s definitely not business as usual. In fact it’s quite a logistical exercise to harvest and process crops.
“We have huge criteria under the Ministry for Primary Industries to operate as an essential service.
“The flow-on effect on staff both in the factory and out in the field harvesting has been carefully adapted to manage risk both in the work bubble and in the home bubble.”
Talleys harvests a wide range of vegetables including peas, beans, spinach, sweetcorn, carrots and potatoes.
The company controls every aspect of planting, harvesting, processing, freezing, packing, cold storage and freight with the fully integrated systems ensuring consistent quality at every step.
“There’s been a complete change of work in operations at the factory and in the field harvesting.”
This has been more so around some vegetable harvesting than others.
“Obviously, in the case of the corn harvest it’s just a harvest driver and a truck driver so that’s not so complex but with the likes of potatoes there’s a lot more individuals involved and a whole different situation.”
The same goes in the factory where operations have been adapted to meet the mandated criteria and keep everyone safe, Chudleigh said.
