Retired seen as potential labour source

RETIRED people could be targeted in a bid to find more seasonal staff for orchards and vineyards struggling to find enough workers, Central Otago Labour Market Governance Group chairman Stephen Jeffery says.

The idea came as the governance group prepared to tackle some ‘‘big topics’’ in the horticulture sector, Mr Jeffery, who is also a Teviot Valley councillor and the chairman of the Central Otago District Council’s community services committee, said.

Mr Jeffery told the committee recently some orchards were having ‘‘significant problems’’ getting enough staff this summer and there was ‘‘quite a shortfall’’.

Difficulties getting enough staff were partly because there was already low unemployment in Central Otago, he said.

One idea of the governance group was to encourage more retired people to work in the horticulture sector during the summer season.

The group also wanted to raise the cap of recognised seasonal employer (RSE) workers in Central Otago from about 1000 to about 2000, Mr Jeffery said.

The Government announced in November it would lift the national cap for RSE workers next season by 1750 to 12,850, but it is not known how many extra workers will come to Central Otago.

Mr Jeffery said the governance group would also like to see work visa processing able to be undertaken over the peak summer period. This was done last year when the Government declared a seasonal labour shortage, but no labour shortage had been declared this season, he said.

The group would also like to see more flexibility with Immigration New Zealand’s essential skills category, Mr Jeffery said.

He said the staff shortages and increased orchard and grape plantings in Central Otago meant the group was dealing with some ‘‘big topics’’.

This included how to ensure Central Otago continued to be seen as an ‘‘attractive area’’ for workers when other areas around New Zealand such as the Hawkes Bay were also recruiting staff.

Part of the solution to that was ensuring there was enough staff accommodation, especially when the rules around freedom camping were tightening, Mr Jeffery said.

However, it was important to note that many orchards already provided staff accommodation, but some workers still preferred to camp in other areas for free.

There was also a ‘‘lot of discussion’’ about the need for pastoral care of seasonal staff, Mr Jeffery said.

He said the reinstatement of Roxburgh’s ‘‘Cherry Chaos’’ event, held to celebrate the contribution of seasonal staff, was a positive step in the Teviot Valley, and he encouraged other areas to set up events and/or systems of care for staff.

A Central Otago Labour Market Survey released last year predicted there would be 465ha of new cherry plantings in Central Otago in the next four to five years, a 56% increase on current plantings. New grape plantings of 284ha are also planned, a 14% increase on current plantings.

The study found the continued growth of the sectors was contingent on solving ‘‘labour challenges’’, and the increased plantings would leave a forecast shortfall of 2298 beds.