Summerfruit slammed by Kiwi job seeker demand

9th December 2020 By Staff Reporter | news@foodticker.co.nz | @foodtickernz

Summerfruit NZ says growers have received more job applications than usual for this time of year, after a joint campaign which put the call out for Kiwi workers.

The industry body collaborated with the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry for Primary Industries and others to raise public awareness of the international worker shortage, as a result of Covid-19 closing the country’s borders. 

Richard Palmer, Summerfruit NZ’s chief executive said the response across the summerfruit regions of Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Central Otago meant many growers and packers had received “far more applications than they would normally expect at this time of year.”

But, Palmer also said the summerfruit season was a long one, and some orchards were still in need of staff.