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New Zealand: Tough season for struggling Otago orchards
It has been a tough season for Otago growers, with Covid-19 border restrictions hampering the crucial supply of overseas workers. Now, to make matters worse, a deluge hit during the peak cherry harvest.
Co-owner John Preedy from Ettrick Gardens is in for a hard time as the students he employs are heading home. Preedy is worried there will be no one around to harvest apples and other autumnal fruit. The loss of the backpackers and not having my summer RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme) workers. that s really where we re going to feel it, Preedy said. Normally the backpackers finish cherries and then they re looking for things to do before the main apples start, and we can fill a few gaps there and it works out quite well, but not now.
Some Central Otago orchards say this season s crop is a write off, while others are struggling to find enough workers.
One orchardist calculates he has lost up to 40 percent of his cherries crop this season (file image).
Photo: summerfruitnz.co.nz
It has been a tough season for the growers, with Covid-19 border restrictions cutting the crucial supply of overseas workers.
To make matters worse, a deluge hit during the peak cherry harvest.
Ettrick Gardens co-owner John Preedy has been growing fruit, berries and vegetables in the small Central Otago town of Ettrick for decades.
The orchard scraped through the busy berry picking period, but is entering crunch time as students head home.