Kiwifruit industry in recruitment drive

The kiwifruit industry is pulling out all the stops to make sure the 2019 harvest, which will start in about three weeks, isn’t short of workers.

New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated (NZKGI) chief executive officer Nikki Johnson said this year’s green and gold kiwifruit crop was expected to be even bigger than last year’s, meaning around 18,000 workers would be needed.

“Last year the harvest was at least 1200 workers short at the peak, and we don’t want a repeat of that,” she said.

To promote seasonal jobs in the industry, the NZKGI was running a broad labour recruitment campaign targeting students, the unemployed, retirees and backpackers, to show them what the industry could offer and address any misconceptions about the work.

“While we want to employ local Kiwis as a first priority, we’re casting the net far and wide to attract as many seasonal workers as possible,” Ms Johnson added.

“There is a workforce out there that we think would be great in our industry; we just have to tell them about it and let them know what’s in it for them.”