Northland kiwifruit sector braces for record harvest as government launches staff-recruiting campaign
16 Mar, 2021 05:00 PM
5 minutes to read
Northland kiwifruit growers are bracing for an "extra challenging" harvest. Photo / Supplied
Jenny Ling is the Northern Advocate's feature writer and news reporterjenny.ling@nzme.co.nznorthernadvocat
Northland kiwifruit growers are bracing for an "extra challenging" harvest due to potential labour shortages combined with a record number of crops.
The 2021 season is forecast to be another record-breaking year with more kiwifruit
produced than ever before, overtaking last year's whopping 157 million trays of Green and Gold across the country.
With few backpackers and recognised seasonal employer (RSE) workers left due to Covid-19 border restrictions, the government has launched a campaign to recruit thousands of people into seasonal harvest and post-harvest roles.