Forty-foot Hastings container ready to bring relief for Tonga

RSE workers Una Tuitufu, left, and Filipe Nafe, right, loading up the 40 foot shipping container at Mr Apple's Blyth Orchard with aid for Tonga. Photo / Paul Taylor

RSE workers and local businesses gathering supplies for Tonga have packed a 40-foot shipping container which is now ready to send.

NZ Apples and Pears, along with its RSE employer member organisations, purchased the container as relief for Tonga following January's volcanic eruption.

The Tongan RSE Relief Committee, with support from Mr Apple staff, began loading the container in Hastings yesterday and finished today .

Tonga RSE Liaison Officer Tevita Lata said about 120 Tongan RSE workers had loaded 160 200-litre barrels of food onto the container for Tonga.

He said the containers had rice, sugar, flour, noodles, Milo, coffee, corned beef, tinned fish and mixed vegetables.

Tonga RSE Liaison Officer Tevita Lata said he estimates about 120 RSE workers have loaded about 160 200 litre barrels with food to support their families back home. Photo / Paul Taylor

"We are so thankful to NZ Apple and Pears for helping."

He said the container would travel to Auckland and be shipped to Tonga on April 5.

The container will be shipped to Tonga by Olsen shipping.

NZ Apples and Pears Workforce Development Manager George Rarere said: "The New Zealand apple industry wants to support not only our RSE workers here in New Zealand, but their families at home in Tonga,"