Desperate pleas for a government plan to allow Pacific Island seasonal workers to return
As the labour shortage across New Zealand hits crisis point as fruit harvesting is at its peak – Exporters, Growers, Food Companies and industry leaders make a desperate plea to Government for a plan to allow Pacific Island seasonal workers to return later this year.
At a media conference in Hawke’s Bay, they called on the Government and Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi, for a plan that would allow more Pacific Island workers into the country to avoid the devastating impact which is happening now.
Due to the shortage of labour, thousands of tonnes of fruit has been left on trees and the apple industry alone is already predicting losses upwards of $600 million to provincial New Zealand economies as the national crop forecasts are 14% down on 2020.
'Huge losses': Apple and pear crop estimate predicts 7% drop in export earnings in Hawke's Bay nzherald.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from nzherald.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Tuesday, 2 February 2021, 9:28 am
The highly successful Pick the Bay employment expo is
returning to Hastings.
The drop-in session for job
seekers wanting information on horticulture and viticulture
jobs in Hawke’s Bay attracted more than 500 people through
the doors last November.
Now, with the picking season
about to get underway, the sector urgently needs more local
heroes for picking, packing and processing the region’s
world renowned produce.
Hastings Mayor Sandra
Hazlehurst said there was an amazing response from the
community at the first Pick the Bay event.
“We were
absolutely blown away with the tremendous number of people
who supported the first employment expo. It really showed