64 | Positive outlook for 2024 season DMS Progrowers processes and packs both kiwifruit and avocados for the local and domestic markets. HORTICULTURE DMS Progrowers T T Hugh de Lacy “It’s a unique feature of the kiwifruit industry that we’re prepared to share resources and knowledge...” The awful 2022 season is behind them, and Tauranga’s DMS Progrowers is enjoying the more positive returns the company has realised from its 2023-24 kiwifruit season. “The season just past has been a lot better, with gold kiwifruit realising between $10 and $10.50 a tray, and green kiwifruit between $8 and $8.50 a tray,” DMS Progrowers Chief Executive Derek Masters says. “Further to that, the 2024 season crop only recently harvested looks in even better shape: yields are up and overall fruit quality has packed out very well. “Early indications from the markets around the world are for strong demand, and they’re pleased that this year’s quality has returned to the high quality fruit that is typical of the Zespri brand.” DMS Progrowers is a 35-year-old company started by the Greenlees and Jones families to process and pack both kiwifruit and avocados for the local and domestic markets. The company has one packhouse site at Te Puna, a few minutes north of Tauranga, that handles both fruits, and a second at Te Puke which handles kiwifruit only. Between them the two sites employ around 180 permanent staff packing 16.5 million trays of kiwifruit annually, while Te Puna packs 500,000 trays of avocados for the export market and 350,000 for the domestic trade. A feature of DMS Progrowers’ operation is the close relationship it has with two other similar companies in the same business, Trevelynns and Apata, and they refer to themselves as the G4 Group. Although competitors, the three companies have fostered a culture of co-operation, with the principals meeting regularly to share operational performance, technological developments and general operational knowledge and resources. Given the kiwifruit harvesting and packing season is a short and cramped 13 weeks, the G4 Group members often help each other out when the going gets tight. “It’s a unique feature of the kiwifruit industry that we’re prepared to share resources and knowledge, and every year for the past 10 years a number of us – three each from DMS and Trevelynns, and two from Apata – go to Europe and Asia to see market trends and technological advances for ourselves,” Derek says. Typically the Te Puna site receives fruit from orchards in Omakoroa, Waihi and Katikati while the Te Puke facility is supplied from orchards surrounding Te Puke itself, but also Edgecombe, Gisborne, Hastings and Opotiki. DMS Progrowers, which is the country’s fourth largest kiwifruit processor, has its management offices in Tauranga city with 35 staff, while there are 45 permanents at the Te Puna site and around 65 at Te Puke. A number of orchard managers are also based at Te Puke. During the crowded harvesting season DMS Progrowers brings in 110 overseas workers under the seasonal employment immigration scheme, housing them in specially-built accommodation they refer to as The Village. “Our brand, our reputation and our culture have been the key to our success, allowing us to provide excellent service to our growers over many years, and for many more to come,” Derek says.
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