T&G assessing cyclone damage
One of the country’s largest apple packer and exporter, T&G Global is assessing damage to its facilities in Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne.
As the apple industry faces a labour crisis, there is a lot of talk about technology playing a role in harvesting crops.
However Apple and Pear NZ chief executive Alan Pollard reckons this is 10-15 years away. He says there is a move to introduce elevator platforms, which means that people who might have physical challenges can come into orchards because they don’t have to climb up and down ladders.
“There is work being done on robotic harvesting, but this is a bigger challenge for apples than kiwifruit,” he told Rural News.
“An apple tree you will pick three or four times, and you have to make a judgement on the colour, so you just can’t strip a tree,” Pollard explained. “The technology to do this is challenging and it means that a grower has to change the whole structure and layout of the orchard to fit the new technology.”
At present, apple trees are three dimensional. However, to meet the needs of technology, trees would need to be grown as a two dimensional ‘wall’ and closer together.
Pollard says about 10% of the orchards are being changed over to this system each year, but it will take a long time before all are ready for technology when it arrives.
In the meantime, the industry will continue to rely on a diminishing local labour pool and see if it can get the Government to take a more pragmatic approach to the RSE scheme and allow more overseas workers into NZ.
Pollard says the RSE scheme is highly regarded internationally and is transforming the New Zealand industry and providing much needed aid to Pacific nations.
Federated Farmers president Wayne Langford is claiming “some real success” on the 12 policy priorities it placed before the Coalition Government.
Federated Farmers is throwing its support behind the Fast-track Approvals Bill introduced by the Coalition Government to enable a fast-track decision-making process for infrastructure and development projects.
The latest report from ANZ isn’t good news for sheep farmers: lamb returns are forecast to remain low.
Divine table grapes that herald the start of a brand-new industry in Hawke’s Bay have been coming off vines in Maraekakaho.
In what appears to be a casualty of the downturn in the agricultural sector, a well-known machinery brand is now in the hands of liquidators and owing creditors $6.6 million.
One of New Zealand’s deepest breeder Jersey herds – known for its enduring connection through cattle with the UK’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II – will host its 75th anniversary celebration sale on-farm on April 22.