Business South March 2021

74 | Fairfield Orchards RSE scheme crucial for fruit harvest Richard Loader Last year Fairfield Orchards’ local workforce was supplemented with 138 RSE workers. PRODUCTION T he introduction of the RSE (Recognised Seasonal Employer) scheme in 2007, provided a guaranteed workforce for growers such as orchardists to pick and pack fruit. The scheme enabled orchardists, like Motueka apple grower Fairfield Orchards, to confidently invest in the industry and expand. Director Cherie Drummond says Fairfield Orchards has a permanent staff that fluctu- ates between 30 – 35 people, supported by an extra 20 – 30 locals on casual contracts at har- vest time. While harvest starts early February, peak harvest is on March 15. Last year the local workforce was supple- mented with 138 RSE workers. “When Covid 19 lockdown happened we had all bar two of our RSE workers in the country and all local staff already on board. “We have housing for up to 180 workers so quick adjustments to workgroups, based on our living groups, meant we adapted quickly to control measures for keeping our work- place Covid free. Production never slowed down.” Due to the lack of available flights back to places like Tonga and Tuvalu 80% of Fairfield Orchards’ own RSE workforce has remained in New Zealand for the 2021 harvest. However the number of RSE workers nor- mally available to Fairfield Orchards through its joint partners to supplement numbers has been dramatically impacted with a lot of workers returning home. “We thought we might have been 40 - 50 workers light for the 2021 harvest,” explains Cherie. “We had to make strategic adjustments to the harvest by aggressively thinning blocks, using applications to bring harvest forward in some varieties while delaying in others. “We also purchased two more picking plat- forms to eliminate the use of ladders, making the job of picking not as strenuous and more attractive to jobseekers.” However a region wide hailstorm on De- cember 26 had a devastating impact on many of Fairfield Orchards’ blocks, and staff num- bers required to harvest has been reduced by a third. Fairfield Orchards’ roots go back to 1938 when the Drummond family bought 50 acres “We had to make strategic adjustments to the harvest by aggressively thinning blocks, using applications to bring harvest forward in some varieties while delaying in others.” at the base of the Takaka hill, planting tobacco and hops. In the 1970s Chris and Lyn, second gener- ation Drummonds, purchased the farm and homestead. While continuing to grow tobacco, they diversified into Kiwifruit. More land was purchased down the Riwaka Valley and Motueka township and in the early 1990s tobacco made way for the first apples going into the ground, and a packhouse was built. In the late ‘90s Chris and Lyn’s son Aaron became a shareholder with the purchase of more land and a coolstore complex in the Riwaka/Brooklyn areas. “In the 2000s the apple growing operation grew further with grazing land being devel- oped into apples, and orchards purchased in the Moutere areas,” says Cherie. “In total we have 157 hectares planted with pip fruit accounting for 90% of our production, while Kiwifruit accounts for 10%. All produce is exported.” While Fairfield Orchards existing packing facility has optical defect and grade sorting technology, a substantial technology upgrade is being planned for the end of this year’s harvest, working with leading sorting solutions provider Compac. “It will be a two-stage project involving the expansion of our packhouse, improving efficiency and introducing semi automation on the packing lines with the goal of more throughput with same number of staff.” AgFirst Consultants Nelson Ltd 391 High Street, Motueka 7143 | 03 528 0330 motuekaadmin@agfirst.co.nz | www.agfirst.co.nz Independent Agri c ulture & Hor �c ulture Con s ultant Network AGFIRST Providing technical services in all hor�culture crops with specialist knowledge in kiwifruit, pipfruit and grapes. www.tilfreight.kiwi | 0800 90 50 50 TIL are proud to partner with Fairfield Orchards as their transport provider. TIL F EIGHT