Nelson’s apple growers have grave concerns for next year’s harvest, unless an allowance is made for overseas workers to come into the country.

Growers in Nelson say while they are getting by on current staff during the apple thinning period, there is expected to be a massive labour shortage by the time the harvest arrives in March.

Tasman apple grower Simon Easton said the labour situation was “concerning”.

Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers made up the bulk of the staff, and while many had stayed on and had their visas extended post-Covid, there were currently no plans for the Government to bring in any more, he said.

“I don’t understand [the restrictions]. Tonga is Covid-free, why can’t they come here and isolate while they’re on the farm?”

Easton’s predicament was similar to many fruit growers as the summer months approached.

Motueka apple and kiwifruit grower Evan Heywood, who also serves as a director on the New Zealand Apples and Pears board, said the real pressure would come on growers during the harvest season from March.

“From a regional perspective in Nelson we’ll be OK for thinning, talking amongst colleagues and looking at our own situation, there seems to be enough RSE, working holiday people, and Kiwis to do that job.

“But there could be impending disaster coming, if we don’t get a good chunk of RSE workers back before the harvest.”

Heywood said RSE workers were critically important for a successful harvest across the horticultural industry, along with overseas travellers on working holidays.

He said there were only about 12,000 people on working holiday visas in New Zealand, down from the previous figure of 75,000. For RSE workers those figures had dropped from 14,000 for last year’s harvest to about 5000.

“I think there’s less than 5000 [RSEs in New Zealand] at the moment.

“But there're flights going back to the islands all the time. By the time we get to Christmas, it might be half that.”

Heywood said every year orchards tried to engage with Kiwis, but with limited success.

“We’re in the middle of bud thinning kiwifruit. We’ve gone to MSD [Ministry of Social Development] requesting 16 people, and we’ve ended up with four or five interviews.

“Three turned up and we employed all three – that’s the sort of equation that’s out there.”

Pipfruit New Zealand chief executive Alan Pollard said Nelson accounted for about 24 per cent of New Zealand’s apple and pear industry – which was worth around $870m in exports and around $100m in domestic sales in 2019.

Pollard said Nelson accounted for about $240m in direct returns, and somewhere between $720m and $1.2b in indirect economic benefit.

In an earlier interview with Stuff ANZ economists said it was “extremely unlikely there will be sufficient locals available to fulfil these physically demanding roles. Therefore, this is a very high risk that some fruit – particularly summer fruit – won’t be able to be picked.”

ANZ agriculture economist Susan Kilsby says the sector’s crisis would be felt long-term. While orchards would be under-picked this summer, the reduced quality of the harvest could impact New Zealand’s reputation for high-quality produce.

“We’re ranked right up there with the highest yield and quality in the world because we go back to orchards to pick them three or four times, picking only the ripest apples, for instance. With a shortage of labour, you might only do one pick. That has a quality and quantity impact, which could damage our long-term reputation.”

Not all growers were facing the same shortage of workers however.

Boysenberries New Zealand managing director Julian Raine said their harvest in Nelson was less affected by the situation, with most boysenberries picked by machine rather than by hand.

However, Raine said the concern for them was during winter, when they employed RSE workers to work on the boysenberry canes from June to August.

Heywood said if the Government made an allowance to bring in overseas workers for the harvest, to be effective they would need to make progress before the end of the year.

“[The RSE scheme] has been a big reason the industries such as kiwifruit, apples and hops have expanded and grown – on the back of a secure, efficient and productive workforce.

“The labour has needed to grow with those industries, and the Government has been very supportive. But what’s happening now is potentially going to pull the rug from under all of us if we don’t get those RSEs back.”

A spokesman for Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi previously said it was unlikely any changes would be made on the return of RSE workers or to working visa rules before ministers were appointed.