Pollard recently spent two days in the area meeting growers, offering technical support and listening to their concerns.
He says the storm, which was centred between Motueka and Moutere, was much more destructive than usual and some growers will lose 100% of their crop.
“It was extraordinary. There was a massive wall of hail over a significant area rather than the corridors you usually get,” Pollard said.
“I was standing in an area of 600 metres by 600 metres, and not one piece of fruit was saved.”
One of his biggest concerns is the mental health and wellbeing of growers and their staff, with the storm damage coming on top of a tough year that included the covid lockdown and a labour shortage.
However, he says those in the industry are generally resilient and immediately switched into recovery mode.
“I was blown away by how concerned they were about their teams,” he said.
“After an event like this it’s understandable that people start to question the viability of businesses and the security of jobs.”
However, Pollard says while it may seem logical to assume that the demand for labour, both permanent and seasonal, will be less as a result of the storm, the opposite is true.
“The storm creates its own complexities, with a huge amount of work now needed to remove the damaged fruit from the trees, protect the damaged trees from disease risk, and do whatever is possible to salvage the orchards and ensure a crop for next season,” he said.
“To do this, our existing workforce, whether on the orchard or in support roles, is critical.
“The best option for workers whose employers have been affected by the hail is for them to stay where they are and contribute to ensuring that those businesses can recover. The whole community depends on this.”
NZ Apples & Pears is developing a platform to match workers who have some availability with growers who need additional help.
Pollard, along with other horticulture leaders, has approached the Government to explore options for support.
“We’re committed to doing all we can to ensure that the workforce remains intact and engaged, and to ensure that businesses are best-placed to recover from this event and continue to contribute to their local communities,” he said.
“In other adverse events, the Government has offered financial support so we are keen to work with them to see what sort of relief package we can put together.”
NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc chief executive Nikki Johnson also visited Motueka in the wake of the storm.
She says a number of orchards in the area suffered significant impact.
“The full extent of that damage is still being assessed, but a number of orchard crops in Motueka have been written off, with the impact expected to extend into next season as well,” Johnson said.
“About 2.2 million trays of Zespri SunGold kiwifruit and 300,000 trays of Zespri Green kiwifruit were lost in Motueka.
Growers needing help and advice can contact the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254. Farmstrong also has resources for dealing with stress.
