Business Central March 2023

16 | RSE scheme pivotal to success The boutique orchard business packages 220,000 cartons of fruit each season. Wairarapa: JR’s Orchards Sue Russell REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT You’d be hard-pressed to find a more perfect space to grow pip-fruit than in Greytown, Wairarapa. That’s what co-director of JR’s Orchards, Jamiee Burns, thinks. The business was established in 1995 and the land where the orchard is located was bought in 2003, so next year marks 20 years of producing export apples and pears. Today, the entire orchard is covered in netting, which started to be introduced in 2007. Jamiee says the netting has future-proofed the orchard and though it requires regular maintenance and care, its been a very worthwhile addition to the orchard. Like many businesses with a strong ebb and flow to the season, a reliance on employing staff under the RSE quote scheme has been pivotal to its success. “We have a team of about 20 or so full time permanent staff, counting management and we hold an RSE licence for 80 seasonal workers from Samoa plus other local seasonal staff.” In 2020, JR’s Orchards had only 17 RSE workers who were not able to go home as usual. In fact that team remained with the orchard for 3 years. “That had its issues and I know their mental health did suffer but it had unexpected but Hawk Group provider of quality packaging and technology solutions Proud to support JR’s Orchards. Our Products for a sustainable environment & future Z Tray RDT Tray Avocado Tray Australian Tray Freephone: 0508 429 572 | sales@hawk.net.nz Your Business — Our Focus —Working Together valuable positives as well, especially their command of English improved so much,” says Jamiee. Fortunately, come 2021, more RSE workers were allowed back in, creating a sense of normality. “We had an arrangement with MSD when we were really short-staffed but despite clients best intentions I just don’t think they were work ready.” Jamiee is especially proud of the pastoral care systems that have been put in place, to surround overseas workers with a heap of ongoing support. Of the 127ha property, everything grown is pip-fruit. Pear trees occupy 5ha’s and all product is exported through JR’s own marketing structure in their ECCO and Capital Brands. On site are sophisticated packhouse and cool-store facilities, carrying technology to ensure the fruit is fit for purpose when it reaches its final market. While the busiest time of the year is the harvest and processing time late February to mid-June, however the business of storing and marketing the fruit carries on all year. All fruit is sprayed with fungicide and nutrients, and advanced camera scanning measures fruit density and picks up any internal defects. “We don’t grow any of the newer varieties, concentrating instead on Royal Gala, Sunglow Red, Fuji, Braeburn, Granny Smith and NZ Rose with our apples and Packham, Beurre Bose and Taylors Gold in the pears.” In 2017 Jamiee took over the role of marketing, having used a mixture of NZ exporters and overseas importers. She attends the massive Asia Fruit Logistica and Berlin Logistica trade fairs annually. “They are huge events encompassing the entire fruit and vegetable production field, including technology and machinery. We have an exhibit stand at these events and what was really inspiring, was the Customers came to find us. They are looking for the NZ stands and the NZ growers.” Ahead, there’s plenty of work going into opening access up to Japan, through MPI. It’s an expensive market to enter with a high level of compliance. “We understand and are respectful of why other countries are protective of their own environments. We’re trying to get access without the current requirement for fumigation. It’s a case of keeping robust records and meeting all the necessary food safety accreditation standards New Zealand is known for.” Jamiee says the whole sector is hopeful that in the next two years, the necessary approvals will have been successfully negotiated. “Japan will be huge as we currently only export 4% into this market.” Proudly a boutique orchard business, packing 220,000 cartons of fruit each season, Jamiee says she is very happy with where the business is placed. Current main exporting destinations are the UK, Europe and Asia, followed by India and the Middle East. Return of the RSE workers, some old, some new, is something Jamiee is looking forward to. “It’s very good that we are through the worst COVID could bring. These people are part of our family. We very much value their contribution to our success.”

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