NO LABOUR PROBLEM

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20826, 3 July 1942, Page 6

NO LABOUR PROBLEM

BIG APPLE HARVEST SEASON IN GISBORNE One of the biggest crops of apples taken from Gisborne district orchards was harvested during the season now drawing .to a close without expected labour problems “There was practically no difficulty in securing labour for harvesting.” stated the orchard instructor, Mr. J D. Kennedy, when reviewing the season to-day, “and, in fact, more female labour than could be handled was offering for most orchards. If the crop had been three times the size, there would have been no difficulty in coping with it- " The labour offering was of a very high standard and gave every satis faction, and if the same type i, available next year the growers should have no trouble in picking, grading and packing their fruit Some of the growers are endeavouring to obtain female labour to help in the pruning operations." Mr. Kennedy added that 39,000 cases of apples and 2700 cases of pears had come in already, while a further 2000 cases of apples was expected before the season definitely closed. Las.t year’s crop totalled only 20,7(59 cases of apples and pears Both pip and stone fruit trees were in good order, and .there was every indication of.good crops being secured next season. Great care was taken of the past season’s crop, and 33,000 cases of apples were in the highest or fancy grade, 5800 in the commercial grade, and only 470 cases rejected. The small percentage of rejects resulted from the growers' realisation of the necessity of active spraying and thinning. The grape vines had recovered from the severe late frost and the hail battering in November, and there was every indication at present that there would be an abundant crop during the coming season. The crops last season 'were exceptionally light, following the frost and hail damage, and were only 20 per cenl of the normal total.