YOUR INDUSTRY
Juice prices were more attractive than previous years, with growers receiving close to 15 cents a kilogram for the fruit
Pick Hawke’s Bay Samoan RSE workers, Taumanu Lino (left) and Kupa Togialelei Gasologa, complete a juice pick of Pink Lady apples
Wild weather wreaks havoc Deluges on the East Coast and labour shortages at the start of harvest have led to an estimated 12 percent drop in pipfruit production this season. Rose Mannering John Bostock, from Bostock NZ, says the East Coast experienced terrible rain in February and March, the sun didn’t shine and 250 of his staff came down with Covid-19 all at once. “It has also been incredibly difficult getting shipping vessels,” John says. Bostock joined other exporters like T&G to utilise five or six charter vessels when traditional shipping channels were not available. Yields were down for the organic fruit producer and pack-outs have been difficult. “Of all the seasons this has been the most challenging one,” John says. “Despite being incredibly difficult, Bostock NZ are positive about the future and we will get through another day.” 46
The ORCHARDIST : JUNE 2022
Hastings Crystall Road fruitgrower, Leon Stallard, says it has been a season to remember – and not for the right reasons. The weather followed a typical La Niña pattern, a re-run of 2017. Fruit was prone to bruising and punctures and there was some splitting in Royal Gala and Dazzle varieties. Leon had five times the normal rainfall in March, leading to varieties that wouldn’t normally split opening up. At flowering time, wet weather affected pollination and some growers chemically over-thinned. Grey overcast weather has led to russet, which in turn has led to lower pack-outs. Gisborne copped the worst of the weather, with more than 530mm of rain during the harvest, while Hawke’s Bay had 321mm. Difficult picking conditions for early varieties like Royal Gala and Rockit™ combined with the slow arrival of migrant Recognised Seasonal Employers (RSE) scheme workers from Tonga (following the volcanic eruption)
