Apple exports slump due to lack of pickers

Apple exports slump due to lack of pickers
Staff reporters
NZ Apples and Pears forecast a further drop in harvest this year due to a lack of pickers.The industry now expects the export share of the gross national crop to be around 347,718 metric tonnes or 19.3m cartons. This is three million cartons or 14% below 2020, representing a $95million-$100m year-on-year reduction of export earnings.In January, the industry was forecasting a gross national crop of 558,672 metric tonnes, 5% down on the 2020 harvest. The export share of the gross crop was forecast to be 374,751 metric tonnes (20.8m cartons), 7% d...