Worker shortages on the land
Workers for the dairy, kiwifruit and forestry industries could be in short supply this year - and into the future.
Farmers had been competing against other industries such as construction and road building, and also coping with a low unemployment rate, Federated Farmers dairy group chairman Chris Lewis said.
‘‘About 80 per cent of dairy workers are New Zealand-born, the other 20 per cent are migrants. The Government is looking at regionalising any shortfalls which should help,’’ Lewis said.
Hawke’s Bay orchardists have experienced problems finding pickers, resulting in the declaration of a regional labour shortage.
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers chief executive Nikki Johnson said although the harvesting season had not started yet, the sector was looking at a shortfall in international students after changes to government policy.
Forest Owners Association spokesman Don Carson said the sector expected to need a further 500 planters for the Government’s one billion tree planting programme. ‘‘We have enough planters for this year to plant the 50,000 trees being planted, but we’ll need the extra 500 from next year.’’
Carson said the critical area facing forestry in the future was in harvesting, which was a much more skilled job than planting.
‘‘It’s hard work done in remote areas - unlike fruit picking, workers have to be trained in health and safety, and accommodation in these places is difficult.’’
Lewis said one of the issues about dairying was finding reliable workers, because milking cows was a daily commitment.
There were many hard working New Zealanders on dairy farms but they were tempted away by better paying jobs.
He advertised for workers for his farm and received 50 responses, 48 of which were from foreigners. ‘‘I didn’t get a chance to interview the two Kiwis because by the time I got back to them they had jobs.’’
Lewis said before last year’s election, Federated Farmers noted Labour’s policy matched up with theirs.
‘‘The Government is now resetting the policy. It wants regionalised testing of shortfalls, so that should allow us to employ migrants,’’ he said.