More apple pickers needed in Hawke's Bay
To Hawke's Bay now where orchardists are desperate to find more apple pickers. The season is in full swing But with the borders closed, fewer seasonal workers can get here. MSD schemes like "5k to work" offer five thousand dollars to New Zealanders prepared to relocate to a region for seasonal work lasting more than 91 days. But even that combined with orchardists paying a minimum of $20 an hour isn't enough to attract the number of fruitpickers needed to see out the season. Tom Kitchin visited a Hawke's Bay orchard to meet some of the pickers.