New Zealand Apple Industry Enjoys Second Strong Season In A Row
The chief executive of Apples and Pears New Zealand, Danielle Adsett, says fruit quality this year is phenomenal and the sector is hitting crop estimates, which is great for growers.
Listed carpet manufacturer, Bremworth is undertaking a $6 million expansion at its Napier plant more than two years after the site was heavily damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
The company says the expansion marks a key stage in its return to full domestic production of its woollen yarns and a boost to local employment.
Bremworth chief executive Craig Woolford, says the investment is designed to ensure greater efficiency, product and quality control and significant lead time improvements, while avoiding excess capacity.
He says they plan to operate three shifts 24 hours a day, every weekday and will hire up to 40 new staff to accommodate expected demand.
"As a result of the cyclone, most of our Hawke's Bay facility was taken offline.
"To maintain carpet production, we introduced a hybrid yarn supply model which saw increased quantity of our yarns processed externally, including offshore. Rather than just reinstating everything, we've taken the opportunity to rebuild smarter - in the process, allowing us to ramp up yarn capacity as demand grows," says Woolford.
Oamaru-based livestock handling specialist Te Pari has bought Combi Clamp, the New Zealand manufacturer of Combi Clamp manual sheep handlers.
Agriculture Minister Todd McClay has admitted that a scheme bringing workers from Pacific nations to work on orchards has become too hard to navigate but says changes are coming.
A new app designed in New Zealand aims to help sheep, beef and deer farmers capture, analyse and use body condition score data more effectively.
Canterbury farmer Andy Macfarlane has been appointed to the board of AgriZeroNZ, the public-private partnership designed to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
For over 50 years Mel Ewers has been supporting the apple sector navigate through compliance and quality assurance issues.
The apple sector is enjoying a bumper harvest season.