AGworks has a number of Horticulture activities that it performs. Apples, Asparagus and Onions are crops that are commonly worked on although other crops could be added depending on labour availability.

To get a better picture of the work available here is the annual work requirements for Apples and Asparagus.

Apples

August-September

Apple pruning contractual commitments requires 30 workers throughout these two months in Hawkes Bay. This year the company has sent workers to Cambridge to prune for Heritage Farms Ltd for one month given drastic labour shortages there.

November-December

Apple thinning at this time of year becomes very demanding and AGworks Ltd commits anumber of its best New Zealand workers each year. The thinning work is very important and hence the pay rate is higher that for other tasks.

January-February

Only a total of 8 workers are engaged in the apple industry over these two months. All of them are New Zealand workers.

March-June

AGworks tries to limit its involvement in apple harvesting. Even so, during these two months AGworks Ltd employs 60 workers for apple harvesting. 30 workers are part of the year-round work crew and leave grapes for apples. 30 new workers come on each year just for the apple harvest.

 

Asparagus

Asparagus has a short season from September until December. It is one of the hardest crops however for AGworks to organise suitable staff.

September-December

In mid-September every year asparagus picking commences. Under the present contractual commitments the company will need at least 100 workers in the field. The workers engage in asparagus picking in the morning, then by mid-morning they move on to the vineyard to continue pruning. Due to the nature of the work AGworks struggles to recruit New Zealand workers. Over half its own existing workers elect not to pick asparagus. At the present time AGworks manages to convince 35 of its existing New Zealand workers to pick asparagus. The balance of the hundred workers are usually subcontracted migrant labour.

By November, when vineyard maintenance and apple thinning are at their height even the 35 New Zealand workers have stopped picking asparagus. Therefore at this time of year (November-end of December) AGworks requires 100 extra workers simply for its asparagus picking commitments.