In addition to permanent staff, the sector also relies on travellers, both younger backpackers and increasingly “grey nomads” – older, often retired adults who travel in caravans or motorhomes.
While this helps meet the seasonal demand, it presents challenges as post-harvest processes become increasingly automated and specialised.
Report author Tracey Harkness described the post-harvest period as “critically important” to New Zealand’s growing horticulture sector, with export revenue forecast to increase by 19% to $8.6 billion by next year.
“It’s the most important aspect because you’ve got these growers that have put time and effort into growing fruit and getting it off the tree or out of the ground at the best time, but then it’s how it’s handled after that, that’s critical to how the fruit or vegetable is presented to the marketplace.”
She said the horticulture sector was rapidly adopting advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) and data analytics to improve efficiency and reduce reliance on manual labour.
This would require a skills shift in the years to come.
For example, kiwifruit marketer Zespri has been advancing its digital transformation through the $160 million Horizon Programme.
This includes using AI-powered tools for grower enablement, as well as a mobile inspection tool that sets the stage for future AI-based quality assessments.
“Packhouses, and they have to be big enough to afford the technology, can improve the quality of produce that goes out to market by using automation.
“The cost savings are quite huge once they get past the initial investment.
“I think where the skills shift is, is having people that know how to operate those machines or understand logistics or supply chain management, or the export or domestic market.”
Harkness found that while many businesses, particularly larger corporates, have invested in both technology and training, smaller and independent operators often struggle to access affordable, consistent and industry-aligned training.
This resulted in uneven training delivery across the sector.
Larger businesses had more success as they could access vendor support and internal expertise, while smaller players lacked that level of support and resources.
Additionally, she found that current training combined formal qualifications, vendor-led instruction and on-the-job learning, but gaps remained in role-specific, hands-on and standardised programmes that aligned with the “increasingly sophisticated” technologies used in modern packhouses and coolstores.
Without standardised, targeted training, these issues would persist.
She said as technology continues to change, working with the industry was key so training providers could make sure qualifications fit the skills needed now.
Recommendations in the report included:
- Updating curricula to include automation, AI, robotics and digital systems
- Expanding hands-on, workplace-based learning opportunities, including mentorship and field demonstrations
- Strengthening partnerships between employers, providers and regional stakeholders to co-design and deliver training
- Improving accessibility through broader funding, regional delivery and culturally inclusive approaches
- RNZ
