| 49 HORTICULTURE DMS Progrowers Sue Russell Future proofing sites DMS Progrowers’ CEO Derek Masters says the company’s plan for the 2023-2024 season is to build 10 CA cool stores to further add packing capacity to cater for the additional gold fruit coming on stream. Teamwork makes the dream work. Cooney Lees Morgan are proud to be on DMS’s team as |_;bu Ѵ;]-Ѵ Cul o= 1_ob1; =ou 1omv|u1ঞom 7o1l;m|-ঞom -m7 1oll;u1b-Ѵ Ѵ;]-Ѵ v;ub1;vĺ Thanks DMS, it’s a pleasure to ouh -Ѵom]vb7; v1_ - =-m|-vঞ1 ]uor o= r;orѴ;Ĵ It’s been another busy year for Bay of Plenty kiwifruit and avocado orcharding business DMS Progrowers with the opening of the new additional Packhouse and Coolstores in early April 2022 at its Te Matai Road Te Puke site. CEO, Derek Masters says the plan for the 2023-2024 season is to build 10 CA cool stores to further add packing capacity to cater for the additional gold fruit coming on stream. “We’re preparing to future-proof the sites as the volumes of fruit for packing and coolstoring grow,” says Derek. Adapting to the new grading and packing machine and increased level of automation at the new site has gone well he says and now the sites at Te Puke and Te Puna are set-up to cater for long-term packing volume increases over the next few years. From a fruit quality point of view Derek describes the last season as less than stellar, impacting performance to pack the fruit efficiently. “Yes there’s been a dip in quality compounded by other current challenges, including lack of staff in the orchards with no seasonal workers and limited RSE’s, resulting in not enough people to pick the fruit off the vines.” And then as the fruit arrived in the packhouse for packing again fewer than optimal staff meant the packing machines weren’t operating at peak potential. All these issues impact on fruit quality outturn which comprises the Zespri brand. Zespri own and manage the kiwifruit brand and Derek says looking ahead there’s an expectation of increased volumes as covid-related challenges begin to ease. “More orchard volumes is expected over the coming years and DMS growers have acquired more orchards as well as other growers coming to DMS so the future is looking pretty solid business-wise.” When Business Central spoke with Derek he was expecting, any day, to hear news of the lifting in RSE numbers by Government to potentially 19,000, of which kiwifruit get a portion, and with back-packer seasonal workers beginning to come back to New Zealand, he is confident of the sector is getting back on its feet. “With staff shortages pay-rates have also increased so we expect this will draw more visitors and locals alike to work in our industry.” Derek says that avocados will likely experience another challenging year ahead. DMS is seeing quality to be OK but with volumes slightly down from last season. Avocados are marketed through Avoco. “Over the next two years a lot of avocados will be coming on stream and there’s the possibility that supply may be out of kilter with demand. Up north there are significant plantings coming on.” New Zealand is uniquely position geographically to benefit from growing and harvesting windows when crops in Australia have either been sold or are yet to come on stream. In the Bay of Plenty DMS is a major player. Economic drivers around the Ports of Tauranga and the Kiwifruit sector contributes significantly to the prosperity of the region. With the benefit of two sites, now carrying infrastructure to future-proof their capability well Derek believes DMS has a strong future and place within the horticulture sector. An important aspect of DMS’s success is its investment in staff. “Valuing our staff goes beyond the pay-packet as well. Our staff many benefits including providing our team with cooked meals. Our catering staff put through 56,000 meals in 13 weeks which is an amazing achievement over the 2022 season and I know for staff having a cooked meal was something they really enjoyed.” Offering good conditions of employment helps hugely with retention of staff Derek says. “We understand what job satisfaction in its broadest sense entails. We want our staff to enjoy their work, remain with us, and feel a part of something bigger. “That leads to real engagement that leads to performance.”
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