Frankly Speaking - Keeping you up to date
26 March 2020
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Please accept this update to our growers and stakeholders. I wanted to take stock and let you know the things we have done, where we are at and what we are doing.
This morning we have packed 3.3m trays of kiwifruit including 3.2m trays of SunGold (conventional and organic) and 100k of Hayward. Packing rates are a little slower with the 2 metre separation rule and staffing challenges. Despite this our people are doing a fantastic job.
Later today we will outline the maturity testing process to you.
Let me share a few highlights:
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Seeka has been recognized as an essential service business in New Zealand. Our harvest operations, packing/coolstore, processing and wholesale market operations deliver an essential food to New Zealand and through our exports to the world. We are able to keep running for the essential parts of our business involved in fruit and food delivery.
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We have reset ourselves following the withdrawal of the maturity testing service by Eurofins. VLS has delivered excellent performance and we are now resetting the lab operations and commencing regionally based labs at Main Road and Kerikeri. In doing so we are playing our role in the simplification of the testing requirements including the necessary removal of dry matter (taste).
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High-hygiene requirements have been implemented in our orchard operations, and post-harvest. The distancing protocols, while impacting on throughputs, will keep our people safe. The innovators in the company will deliver solutions that further enhance safety and redress the efficiency losses. We have had to significantly change how we run the sheds.
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Our safety and compliance team have developed an Infectious Diseases Management Policy which we have shared throughout the produce industry in New Zealand and Australia; this will keep our people safe.
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Wardens have been put in the sheds to ensure separation is maintained.
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Customers have been removed from our SeekaFresh wholesale floor and moved to remote selling only.
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We have mobilised to address the shortage of people and are recruiting more people to ensure we have sufficient numbers to safely operate. People who have compromised health, or are at an age which adds to their vulnerability have been politely stepped out of the business. In places adequate staff numbers is challenging and we are focused on meeting that challenge.
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A work from home structure has been implemented for our support staff and those at Seeka360 and effectively coordinated and have technology in place to be able to communicate with our people to keep them all informed.
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The changes and protocols have been mimicked across our Australian business where we are harvesting kiwifruit as well.
I must acknowledge the work of our people right across the business. Particularly those in the front line. It’s not an easy time. There are numerous highlights reflecting the dedication of our people. Our drive is to make sure our people and growers are completely safe in the operation of our essential service. We all need to look out for each other at this time.
It’s easy to lose our composure at these times – we have maintained ours. It’s also easy to miss the obvious things we should be doing – if you have suggestions please let me know and we have appreciated the many kind messages of support from our grower community who are the essence of our Industry.
Finally thank you all for your commitment.
My kind regards
Michael
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