New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) Chief Executive Officer Nikki Johnson says Poverty Bay leads the charge because the crop matures more quickly there than the rest of the country. “Over March, orchards in the Bay of Plenty, Northland, Counties-Manukau, Waikato, Hawke’s Bay, the lower North Island and Tasman will follow suit – it’s going to be a bumper crop.”
Continue readingConsider the risk to the biosecurity of our industry presented by overseas workers from their clothing, footwear and tools. Read the KVH article here including a handy poster you can download and print for overseas workers or those returning from working overseas.
Continue readingHorticulture’s biggest challenge is the lack of people prepared to work in the industry, says Ben James, the president of Hawkes Bay Fruit Growers Association. Read the full story here.
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Bostock New Zealand and Leaderbrand have partnered for the first time to exclusively grow a new, superior tasting squash variety called Marron d’Or. Read the full story here.
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The Primary Industry Training Organisation (ITO), together with horticulture industry, has developed a biosecurity micro-credential (a short, focused piece of learning) to enhance industry biosecurity capability. The micro-credential covers biosecurity principles, on-farm practices, and an assessment component, and has been developed under the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) framework, targeting grower owner-operators and supervisors/managers (NZQA Level 5). It is designed to
Continue readingEarlier this month the Ministry of Social Development declared a seasonal labour shortage in Hawke’s Bay, in place for a six-week period from February 25 to April 5. Read the full story here on the joint effort to tackle the labour shortage.
Continue readingThe Government’s promise to increase the minimum wage to $20 an hour by 2021 will take it to just below the current living wage of $20.55 – the equivalent of $42,744 for a 40-hour week. Read the full story here.
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EIT relaunched the Viticulture and winemaking programme this year @ EIT Tairawhiti. Read the full story in NZ Winegrower’s magazine here.
Continue readingResearch for the second Labour Needs Analysis report which looks at the 2018 calendar year has begun. The 2017 report has been critical in understanding the industry labour requirements and in discussions with Government. The 2018 survey will include both seasonal and permanent labour requirements and we need participation from as many employers as possible to strengthen the data. NZKGI is looking
Continue readingMPI’s deadline to register for the Food Act is 28 February, 2019. If you are NOT registered for Food Act by this date, but are still trading, your business will be operating illegally. Both NZGAP and GLOBALG.A.P. offer a pathway for growers that fit under National Programme 1 to be Food Act registered and audited through the existing certification programme. To ensure
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