Master Contractors chairman Richard Bibby in Hawke’s Bay expects half the pruning staff employed around New Zealand this year will be first timers after hundreds of skilled Recognised Seasonal Employer workers failed to make it into NZ before the borders shut.
Many of them return year after year, carrying with them much of the industry’s technical pruning skills for kiwifruit, apples, stonefruit and grapes.
“There is a recognition there among growers that pruning will not be as quick as it has been in the past and they may take a bit of a hit profit-wise to get staff up to speed,” he said.
The loss of workers includes 1200 RSE workers who were supposed to front for the kiwifruit harvest and pruning in Bay of Plenty alone.
Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Nikki Johnson said the organisation is already looking at labour needs beyond harvest.
“Labour and education co-ordinators are working with a group of industry members to establish the size of the problem and consider ways to upskill workers new to the roles quickly.
“Bay of Plenty RSE employers are also working with employers in other regions to offer roles to workers who can’t travel home due to border closures,” she said.
Bibby is confident orchard contractors and owners are not panicked by the shortage and have adjusted by starting winter pruning three weeks earlier than usual to allow for newer workers.
They include RSE workers who might have come to harvest fruit but have not pruned in the past.
“We will see the pruning become more methodical than technical so it will get done, even if not as skilled as it would normally be.”
Winter pruning is the highest-paying task on orchards with workers capable of earning up to $2000 a week once they are skilled.
“Of course, newbies start off on a wage of $23.50 an hour, and it takes a couple of seasons to get up to speed.”
Bibby said so far the interest from Kiwis in such positions has been very muted. He suspects the wage subsidy ending in June might see a surge of interest if businesses are forced to close.
“But it may really depend upon when NZ’s borders open up. We expect to see a number of our backpacker workers who have been stuck here leave for home when that happens. That may then open up more jobs for New Zealanders. We expect to see more of a surge from Kiwis for our next season’s crop.”
Horticulture New Zealand seasonal labour co-ordinator Dirk van Beek said many RSE workers in Hawke’s Bay are staying there till they can head home rather than be relocated to other areas like Marlborough.
“In Hawke’s Bay we tend to have permanent Kiwis doing pruning and thinning, in contrast to Bay of Plenty. But we have a duty of pastoral care to look after these RSE workers who are still here and we have said to them that if they wish to stay in Hawke’s Bay we will find work for them for as long as they are here.
Immigration policy lets them work in only the horticultural sector and van Beek is confident growers have enough jobs to keep the 5000 workers engaged till they can go home.
Hort NZ chief executive Mike Chapman said there are plenty of jobs for Kiwis. Industry groups are working to align displaced workers with the jobs.
“And contrary to what many often think the industry’s pay rates are good.”
