It was disappointing to see the Government approve only a minimal 2.5 per cent increase for the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) accommodation cost recovery rate last week.

It is a decision that undermines the Government’s own ambition to double export values by 2034 as well as NZAPI’s goal to reach $2 billion in export revenue by 2035.

What’s more, it came despite extensive pan-sector collaboration that resulted in the funding of an independent report into what a fair and evidence-based accommodation rate could be.

We know New Zealand’s horticulture sector cannot grow without the labour to pick, pack and process our produce, and you can’t secure that labour without a fair and sustainable cost recovery for accommodation.

RSE employers don’t want to take advantage of the system, but it is equally true that accommodation charges have been frozen for six years, while construction, operational and compliance costs have soared.

Many of our growers have invested in lifting accommodation standards and are committed to ensuring their workers are housed safely. However, that commitment now comes under increased financial strain.

Along with Horticulture New Zealand, Kiwifruit New Zealand and Summer Fruit New Zealand, we recently invested in independent economic analysis from Infometrics in an effort to determine a fair and evidence-based accommodation rate.

We wanted to take into account real-world costs while also keeping costs down for workers. This report was shared directly with the Government and Minister for Immigration Erica Standford. That it has not been used to form this decision is extremely disappointing.

Along with our industry peers, we will continue to urge the Government to revisit the methodology for setting these rates and ensure that future changes are based on transparent, verifiable cost data.

New Zealand’s RSE scheme is a success story built on mutual benefit, delivering essential seasonal labour for growers and economic opportunities for Pacific communities.

It’s important we keep that and focus on delivering benefits for all.

Kia ora koutou,

We recently hosted a local advisory meeting here at EIT, where industry leaders had an opportunity to hear directly from the EIT executive team.  We had 16 attendees representing 12 different businesses, as well as industry bodies. We asked for  expressions of interest in supporting our program development, and have been gratified to have several offers of direct support.  Our qualifications exist to support the Industry, and we are very keen to ensure we engage pro-actively with you.

Our post-harvest diploma students are close to completing the safe horticulture business course and will be starting fruit physiology and storage this month, sharing the class with the fruit production diploma students, which is enabling great dialogue and cross pollination of ideas.

Our Level 4s have started the Growing Environment looking at extreme weather events, whilst the Level 3s have just completed the propagation workshops and are starting on Crop Health.

We also have hearty cohorts completing the Certificate in Primary Industry program, and another orchard group upskilling on Excel.

Wishing you a great start to the season from the EIT team.

Sarah McArley

No matter the variety or growing system, the profitability success of a block over its lifetime is driven by the cumulative yield achieved. Early yield is therefore critical to ensure the cumulative yield trajectory enables a good internal rate of return and a profitable outcome for the grower.

Cumulative yield driven by early yield accumulation is an important factor to keep in mind when setting this season’s canopy growth and fruit targets for young blocks on your orchard. However, growers also need to make sure that the chosen crop load isn’t too much of a draw on the carbohydrate resource therefore inhibiting canopy growth.

There are a number of ways to set the crop load target on a young tree, to ensure this balance. Measuring the Trunk cross sectional area (TCA) gives an indication of how many fruit the tree can sustain. Using a 4 fruit per TCA or 5 fruit per TCA target alongside the consideration of the percentage of current canopy fill will help to determine a suitable cropload which won’t hinder the growth and development of the young canopy. In addition, a focus on getting the cropload down to target early alongside maintaining enough vigour in the system and the execution of well timed tree training will help to drive growth and fill the tree’s space.

Therefore, be sure to keep the balance of productivity and canopy in line as you finish pruning your young blocks this winter and begin to set your croploads for spring. Early yield pays dividends over the lifetime of the block, but you must also have the canopy to hold that crop in the first place!

Kia ora koutou,

This is our busiest time here at EIT, with many students half way through programs and new cohorts starting as well.  As students complete courses, our piles of marking grow as we try and get quality feedback on their progress to them.

Warren Hales has been flat out delivering the Certificate in Primary Industry skills – it looks as though we will have over 50 students complete this entry level program, which is a mammoth logistical exercise.  Some of the early completers of that qualification are starting into Level 3 Fruit Production this month and will work in with existing Level 3 students that started in January to complete block development and maintenance.  They will be requiring practical skills of tree planting and maintaining irrigation.

Our level 4 cohort have completed three of the six courses, being complying with market needs, pruning and crop protection. For the pruning course Steven coordinated a fun packed learning adventure with good discussion and a few field trips thrown in to the mix. We would like to thank T&G Twyford for showing us the range of training systems and Ngai Tukairangi Trust for a Kiwifruit update and a very cool pruning demonstration.

We were able to venture into the new EIT Training Orchard and really see the systems take shape and discuss how we should engage a team to work well with a mind to consistent quality of work.

The Post Harvest Diploma will start mid-July. We are still taking enrolments to add to our good numbers and cant wait to get started.

All the best

Claire, Steven and Chris

Winter chill – that is pretty cool!

Meg Becker

AgFirst Consultants

Winter chill sets the precedence for the season ahead, contributing to budbreak timing, floral capacity of the tree, flowering length and strength, and quality/quantity of potential yield outcomes.

The Metwatch chill unit calculators on the NZAPI website are the Richardson Chill units, Hours below base temperature and Chill Hours (sum).  All three measure chill units slightly differently resulting in different seasonal trends. For instance, at the start of July 2025, the hourly chill model is showing 2025 chill as only slightly behind the exceptional 2024 season, as the Richardson chill is showing the 2025 season to be ‘average’ when compared to previous chill accumulation.

Chill units are the number of hours the plant experiences below the base temperature but above freezing.  The Richardson chill model provides good insight into chill accumulation in temperate climates.   It accounts for the high temperatures which result in negative chilling and excludes below freezing temperatures (which do not contribute to chill accumulation).

It’s important to understand what parameters are selected when reviewing the models. As in the table above, ‘allowing for negative chill’ makes a big difference to the accumulation of chill units – which can have a significant bearing in determining the timing of your dormancy breaker applications.

For all models, consideration needs to be had regarding  when chill units actually start accumulating.  Physiologically, accumulation begins when the trees go into the Endodormancy period,  triggered by  colder temperatures and short photoperiods.  This can be before leaf fall begins and is simply the point at which the tree is unable to resume growth until winter chill requirements have been met, even if favourable conditions occur.

For comparing regional averages, 1^st May is a good general standpoint, and although areas and some varieties vary this provides a point in the sand comparison between seasons.

To accurately determine block/variety specific winter chill, growers must pay close attention to the tree’s physical characteristics over autumn.  At what point did senescence begin, as this is a sign the plant is responding to temperature and day length.

Regardless of the model used, consider  each season relative to previous seasons,  how you have historically managed your blocks and what the outcomes were with relation to critical timings on your orchard.

NZAPI Newsletter – June

Tickets are selling fast to the NZAPI annual conference, EXPO 2025.

Designed with enhanced networking opportunities and more trade stands than ever before, EXPO 2025 provides ample opportunity for growers and industry members to form meaningful and invaluable connections.

Throughout the day, attendees can also attend six specialist breakout sessions, which will deliver in-depth discussions and analysis on market access, economic geo-political landscapes, post-harvest technology and sustainability.

Reaching $1 billion in orchard gate revenue for the first time at the end of 2024 was a major milestone for our sector, however we are now looking to a sustainable future, which is where our six breakout sessions come in.

Each session has been selected with an eye to the future but feet firmly on the ground.

Session topics include:

• Water: Essential for growth, with Waimea Group.
• Market Panel: Understanding the value of international delegations, with Mike Petersen, Scales, Mark Piper, PFR, and Shane Kingston.
• Navigating trade barriers, with Hon. Tim Groser, former Minister for Trade
• The release of a new Market Insights report from KPMG
• Can electric sustainability deliver productivity gains, with Mike Casey
• Post-harvest technology meeting future needs of Market Access with Craig Petersen

What’s more a variety of optional tours have been planned for delegates so they can make the most of the fantastic opportunity to discover more of the Tasman region.

You can learn more or register at https://info.applesandpears.nz/news-events/nzapi-expo-2025/

J

HB Fruitgrowers Association

What are consumers looking for in the future. – Jonathan Brookes AgFirst HB Ltd

The NZ AgFirst Consultants team celebrated 30 years of business a couple of weeks back with a celebratory conference in Japan.

We visited the World Expo and I found some interesting learnings in the technology zone and how the future was being portrayed to the thousands of people that were heading through each day for the 6 months of the Expo. This is a snippet of what I found interesting.

In the technology zone Kids were being directed to learn through technology and play and were specifically targeted in the content of the new technology zone.

One of the presentations called Society 5.0 dream world – Food and Agriculture.

Below is a brief description of what was being described to thousands of kids as the future.

This was presented as a video by a young child with cartoon backup from a virtual restaurant.

• Farm to table happens in one place, focus on reliable transportation, we are one that team works in harmony with technologies.
• Everyone works together to make delicious dishes with the magic word (food). Please remember the word (food) The team is the makers, the deliverers, the eaters – Food is gifts from nature.

From the growers –

• We grow gifts with smiles, leave the crop picking to us, using big data to control the crops.

Now for the ace salesperson (the marketers) –

• I’m delivering the farmers’ vegetables, delivering them to you with no waste or effort

Now let me introduce our chef –

• The freshest ingredients, to end food waste, eat what you want how you want, it’s great.

Food is treasure that connects us

The makers, the deliverers, the eaters. Lets join hands – Make us happy for our whole lives

The magic word – Food

There is a new generation of consumers around the world that is being told that good food is part of the solution for the future. As growers we need to continue to be aware that these future consumers are also aware it needs to be grown and transported with good environmental credentials it needs to be high production (plentiful), of high quality and will need to have a real focus on being gentle on the environment.

The consumers of the future are becoming more aware of (being told) what they want. It was also interesting to note that further on in the technology pavilion the final slide states. “Advancements in agritech make both the consumers and producers happy” – Does your orchard business match these future consumer perceptions?

NZAPI Newsletter – May

The promise of an excellent harvest has well and truly been exceeded, with one of the best years on record for New Zealand’s apple and pear industry. National harvest began in February with early varieties, including Royal Gala coming off the tree is excellent condition, with the last of the late season fruit heading to the packhouse as we speak. Packhouses themselves are a hive of activity up and down the country. The exceptional quality and fruit size from this year’s harvest has the potential to push the industry to exceed the billion-dollar revenue from last year, and has brought a real sense of optimism to the sector.

For the first time in many years, certainly since pre-COVID, everything aligned to set the stage for a remarkable year. Textbook winter and spring conditions were nothing short of ideal, particularly for our North Island regions of Hawke’s Bay and Tairāwhiti; and while Tasman and Central Otago have faced a handful of – mostly weather-related – challenges, the overall crop remains excellent. In February, we estimated the national crop would likely come in at 21.0 million TCE (Tray Carton Equivalents). This was a significant increase of 10 per cent on the 2024 crop of 19.1 million TCE and a jump of 21% increase from the 2023 crop of 17.4 million TCE.

Judging on the crop coming through our nation’s packhouses now, we feel comfortable with the increase. This growth is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our growers, who have consistently strived to produce the best quality fruit. This year’s harvest has exceptional colour, eating quality, and flavour. It is incredibly clean and the storability will be as good as ever. The first shipments of this season’s fruit are already in markets overseas, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Demand in key export markets remains robust, with consumers consistently returning for New Zealand fruit.

As the picking season nears completion, there is confidence that this year’s crop will continue to meet and exceed the expectations of international customers. Looking ahead, while this season brings with it a real sense of optimism, it is a bounce back, not a leap forward. Sector growth and success remains reliant on getting the conditions right, and there are undoubtedly potential headwinds on the horizon. At NZAPI, our key strategic focus is ensuring the right levers are activated to deliver maximum grower return. Upholding the high standards that have made New Zealand apples and pears a preferred choice for consumers around the world, will become increasingly difficult if growers do not have access to efficient water takes and working capital, effective agrichemicals, confidence and commitment to the industry’s vital RSE scheme and sustainable, research-based solutions.

Market access and the confidence of global markets must also be carefully managed to allow trade to be conducted efficiently. NZAPI continues to advocate for our industry, ensuring these needs and priorities are heard loud and clear. However, it must be said, that when a season like this comes along, one so spectacular that the fruit looks like bright red Christmas baubles on a tree, it makes the task that much easier. This year’s harvest is a testament to industry resilient. It showcases how grower dedication is amply rewarded when the seasons align, and when that happens, New Zealand’s pipfruit industry truly lives up to its reputation as a world leader.

Jack Wilson

May 2025

Pruning, the first cut to next years success.

I like to think of pruning as the first and arguably the most important step to setting our croploads for the following season. It is a critical part of the entire production process.  Objectives need to be clearly defined and communicated to the pruning team.  Historical performance data is a good starting point.  Past performance needs to be carefully analysed on a block by block and variety basis to determine what pruning needs to be done.

Canopy volume, tree vigour and crop load balance drives yield and quality.  High yield performance comes from a full, consistent canopy volume, with low vigour but adequate early leaf area to drive fruit size.  High fruit quality is generally associated with calm canopies and good light levels throughout the canopy.

Vigour o many Hawke’s Bay orchards is far too high.  Once full canopy is achieved, only 20-30cm length of annual shoot growth is required.  Many orchards are giving shoot lengths of 50cm and more.  This represents wasted potential in terms of yield and quality. Looking at the previous year’s growth behaviour will give you indication on this years objectives as well as the response to last years pruning techniques.

Kia ora Everyone,

Its great to have heaps of students back in with the Fruit Production team this month.  Our Certificate in Primary Industry Skills has 20 students already completing their tractors and managing workplace risks courses and have fruit support structures coming up soon.  Another cohort will be starting next month.

Level 3 Fruit Production students start with soils next week, and the level 4s are starting crop protection.  They should have completed their first course of Complying with Market Needs.

The Level 5 Fruit Production Diploma has kicked off again with Horticulture Business skills, students are learning about budgeting and CAPEX planning. It was great to see the students after a ‘normal’ harvest season with them all commenting on the quality of the crop.  We would like to thank Allan Mouat for taking us around the packhouse and really delving into the efficiencies that can be attained and improved packout performance by fully understanding pack house class and reject standards.

We are looking to engage with your promising Post Harvest staff to find enrolments for the Post Harvest Diploma that starts in July. We need enrolments as soon as possible to keep our career pathway going. If you or your staff are interested, please get in touch at SHartley@eit.ac.nz. and see the link for a summary of the course.

Finally have a look at this excellent resource developed by the Food and Fibre CoVE, to help attract retain and grow staff https://www.employertoolkitnz.org/

All the best

Claire, Steven and Chris