Business South October 2020

64 | Wind, Frost, Hail and Bird Protection. Maximise your returns and minimise your risks. We are specialized in design and construction of canopy structures with over 15 years of experience. Ph: (03) 445-3793 Email: Web: Proud to support CentralPac Limited Commercial • Domestic • Industrial • Data & Communications • PV Solar 0274 531 296 brettsherri ngineering@gmail.com 6 Chardonnay Street, Cromwell, 9310 phone email address BRETT SHERRIFF E N G I N E E R I N G & M A I N T E N A N C E Cherry exporter looks to student workers The Central Otago region grows a wide variety of cherries, with the earliest varieties being picked late November/early December. HORTICULTURE Central Pac O ne of New Zealand’s fastest growing fruit exports, cherries, deliver major economic value to Central Otago and to New Zealand as a whole, says Kerri Nakajima, the operations manager for CentralPac Ltd. Located deep in the heart of Central Otago, CentralPac grows and sources premium cher- ries from both established and newer growers for export and domestic markets and has its own onsite packhouse. “The flow on effect from the number of staff coming into the Central Otago region for har- vesting, pruning and other orchard work is significant. “However, this year as a result of Covid we will face difficulties in sourcing labour for sorting and harvesting. “Traditionally the majority of our workforce has been made up of working holiday visa holders. We advertise for and employ New Zealanders, but we don’t get enough appli- cations from them to fill all of the available positions.” This year, Kerri says Central Otago growers are targeting students. “It’s a good opportunity for them to earn a reasonable amount of money, with our season going for 6 weeks over December and January—perfect for the university holiday period. “We also employ a small number of skilled and experienced people from overseas who have worked numerous years in the Northern Hemisphere cherry season. “These people give us the extra expertise we need for such a short season, and we’re hopeful we will be able to employ them again this year.” Kerri believes sourcing skilled staff to fill supervisory and middle management posi- tions may be less of a challenge because of the number of high calibre people in need of employment as a result of Covid-19. While the lack of cargo space due to the reduced number of international flights will place pressure on export freight Kerri says that the industry’s biggest challenge will be uncertainty. “We have to be prepared for sudden chang- es in Covid-19 levels and have all our plans in place for each level.” For the 19/20 season 2100 tonnes of cher - ries were exported, predominantly from the Central Otago region, although this volume was around half the expected volume due to weather events. The Central Otago region grows a wide variety of cherries, with the earliest varieties being picked late November/early December and the latest varieties picked late January/ early February. “Each variety has its own characteristics, with some varieties generally firmer than others, and some of darker shades of red or different shapes. “We’re currently getting closer to the stage where the buds start to develop further, and frost fighting begins. For us, on an average season we will start harvesting around the December 12, and be finished by the last week in January.” Kerri says that in recent years there has been a change in growing systems, with the UFO (Upright Fruiting Offshoots) becoming more popular, than the traditional centre leader system. TT Richard Loader “The UFO system is two dimensional and involves the trees growing along a wire struc- ture similar to a grapevine. “The increased number of trees per hectare results in larger early yields and the simple structure increases efficiencies in pruning and harvesting while also mitigating some of the risks associated with rain induced cracking.” “The flow on effect from the number of staff coming into the Central Otago region for harvesting, pruning and other orchard work is significant.”