Yoyoing in and out of levels is a nightmare

Opinion:

The stark realisation we are again in a lockdown is a bitter pill to swallow.   At a time of the year when plant growth is rapid, businesses are under intense pressure to get plant work completed in a timely manner.  This, coupled with the previous lockdown, throw in a few public holidays and it is easy to fall behind with crop work.   We are in a fortunate position to be an essential industry so we are able to continue working.  However, the risk for many growers, in the South Auckland area in particular, is their staff may be two apprehensive to return to work during level three. 

I recently visited three separate companies all chasing their tales to complete the necessary work with the resources at their disposal.  I find it frustrating because I know that this will affect production in the next 5-6 weeks.   Unfortunately, I believe our industry is competing with our own outdoor cousins to attract workers.  I do not blame companies that require seasonal workers to pick fruit, they like us NEED the fruit picked and packed to survive and if I was in their shoes, I would be leaving no stone unturned.

Horticulture NZ, from my perspective, have done everything in their powers to provide assistance to industry to avoid the train wreck unfolding in front of us.  The single biggest issue, as I see it, is the restriction and very small quota of Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) workers that are required, are simply not able to enter NZ.  If it wasn’t for Horticulture NZ I shudder to think if any of these workers would have been allowed to enter NZ.   For nearly a year, since the first lockdown, I have been aware this could be an issue and that means our politicians have also realised this.  Obviously, the lack of accommodation for quarantine has been a major issue but again we have had nearly a year to address this.  Health is important, and not for one minute would I want Covid-19, but surely flying in workers from countries that have Covid-19 free status would have posed minimal risk?  Now what we have is articles from industry advising growers where to get help for their mental welfare. 

This recently taken image is one of the best short green cucumber crops I have seen grown and consulted on.  Unfortunately, the grower could not get the staff required to pick much of the crop on time which meant the cucumbers were over ripe and could not be sold.

In the future automation may reduce the need for an increase in RSE workers, but with continued expansion in horticulture we will still require large numbers no matter how good automation becomes.   As much as I feel for our growers, I am also desperately sad for the seasonal workers that have become reliant on this work to provide for their families yet have been denied the opportunity of entry to NZ.  Horticulture and the production of fresh food is becoming vitally important to this economy, make no doubt this industry has the potential for massive growth, but that will only happen if we are all on the same page and work to a common goal, which is to create wealth that creates jobs, jobs and more jobs.  If growers are not confident industry expansion may stall. 

Scrambling:

Scrambling this year is reality and I urge greenhouse growers to please keep up with their plant work because if you don’t, we may face another shortage of fruit, that led to the ridiculously high prices of tomatoes in July and August last year.  All this does is actually reduce over-all consumer consumption and create buyer backlash.   As an individual grower you may be hoping other growers don’t supply in these months but look out if they don’t because I fully expect Australian imports may flood our market.

Article written by Stefan Vogrincic

All Article’s checked and edited by Marie Vogrincic

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Greenhouse Cucumber Production by Dr Mike Nichols

When I completed my University degree training at Nottingham University in England in 1957 I worked for a market garden  (F A Secrett Ltd) just South of London for about a year. F A Secrett was considered to be the father of market gardening in England at that time and had established a modern enterprise on sandy soil just to the south of Guildford in Surrey. I worked in the greenhouses and most of my time was spent with tomatoes and cucumbers.

The cucumber production was interesting because it involved both the traditional growing method, in which specialised greenhouses were used and the plants we're grown up the insides of the house  on a wire structure. The plants but grown in a mixture of loamy soil and well rotted strawy horse manure This system involved a considerable amount of labour in order to train the plants because all the cropping was based on the laterals and sub-laterals, and no fruit was allowed to develop on the main stem.  In addition, all the male flowers had to be removed as these were the telegraph type of cucumber, which is parthenocarpic,  and when pollinated swells unevenly.

The other system of training used was the cordon system in which the plant, were grown in soil in a traditional vinery type greenhouse, normally used for tomatoes and the plants were trained up a single string like tomatoes to the wire. Once again all the male flowers were removed and the plants cropped on the laterals which was stopped generally at two leaves and the fruit simply hung down. Irrigation and feeding was by drip irrigation.

When I arrived in New Zealand in August 1958 I discovered that the Telegraph type of cucumber was virtually unknown. I think there was one grower in Auckland growing this type and the main cucumbers grown were of the short green type and occasionally the Apple cucumber. At all times they were grown in the soil.

In England in 1962 to study for a Masters degree I found that cucumber production in greenhouses was in a state of flux. The shortage of good loam soil and of strawy horse manure was extreme, and alternatives were being sought. One approach was the to use bales of wheat straw and to use it almost like a hydroponic medium as it slowly rotted down.

On my return to New Zealand in April 1965 to lecture in  horticulture at Massey University, I discovered that Massey was now growing the long Telegraph type of cucumbers.

At about this time there was a new development in greenhouse cucumber production.  The first of the gynoecious (female only), varieties had been introduced.  We obtained seed of the variety “Princess” from the Nunhems Seeds in the Netherlands for a trial at Massey. The seed was expensive, from memory about $1 per seed compared with the standard telegraph variety  (Butchers Disease Resistor) [ BDR] which had both male and female flowers and cost about $0.10 per seed. However, in our first trial Princess produced over 2 cucumbers more per plant then BDR when cucumbers were worth about a dollar each. More importantly there were no male flowers to remove, and the fruit developed on the main stem.

One of the problems of greenhouse cucumber production at that time was the root rot disease “fusarium” so the following year we grafted the variety Princess on a fusarium resistant rootstock (Cucumis ficifolia). The grafting went well but the exercise failed because the grafting operation shocked the plant so that it became a conventional cucumber plant with male flowers up the main stem. This meant we had to remove the male flowers from the stem and crop it on the laterals which was something which we did not plan to do. Of course the more recent gynaecious cucumber far more strongly female than Princess so that this problem probably would not occur now.

Cucumber production has changed very much over the years with the development of hydroponic systems and the ability to provide the plant with water and nutrients on demand has simplified a lot of the problems that existed 50 years ago but there has not, for example, been any major changes in production methods as have occurred in tomatoes.  By this I mean the development of improved training systems capable of exploiting the high light intensities of the summer, while still being able to produce satisfactory crops during the low winter light levels.

The greenhouse tomato industry does this by layering plants, so that one planting lasts a full 12 months; by controlling the fruit size with trust thinning; by grafting onto disease resistant rootstock; and by modifying the amount of leaf on the plant by increasing the number of mainstems per plant during the summer.

I suspect that a similar strategy might possible with cucumbers, for there is little doubt that cucumbers require more space per plant in the winter and can be grown at higher density during the summer months. The simplest way of achieving this might well be to use grafted cucumber plants and to increase the number of main stems per cucumber plant during the summer months in a similar way do what is done with tomatoes. What we are actually doing in horticulture is harvesting the sun and the tomato industry does this very efficiently. Fruit load could be controlled by simply controlling the number of cucumbers allowed to develop per leaf so that if the cucumbers are going to be too large you increase the numbers of fruit per plant, and vice versa — really the equivalent of truss thinning.

The only risk as I see it would be that of controlling powdery mildew and provided this can be controlled either environmentally or by soft pesticides [ bicarbonate of soda?] then a long crop would be a much more efficient way of producing cucumbers year-round.

Short green cucumbers are also able to be layered.

Cover photo – NZ grown telegraph cucumbers.

Article written and supplied by Dr Mike Nichols 

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Another blow to an already challenging summer

Is this the point in time it couldn’t get any harder for a large proportion of growers?   Currently, New Zealand greenhouse tomato and cucumber growers are struggling with low returns, labour shortages and an increase in costs, which they have no control over.  Combined with a reported reduction in exports and favourable weather conditions we have the ‘perfect storm’.   In addition, unbelievably, this summer there may well be an increase of acreage of tomatoes, currently being harvested, and compared to this time last year.   This may be due to early crop terminations because of the trouble that the first Covid-19 lockdown caused.  Many small businesses, which did not have secure super market contracts during the first lockdown, faced huge financial losses at the time.  As a result, some businesses terminated crops earlier than scheduled.  If those businesses then re-planted tomatoes midway through last year then they are most likely still picking right now.   In a ‘normal’ sequence some of those crops would have replanted in January-February with first harvest beginning in March-April.

The planting of new crops, and their rotation has massive supply implications, without having a crystal ball, the best possible time to supply the domestic market is simply an educated guess, even for the largest of growing operations.  Autumn is on its way so hopefully the domestic market will stabilise but it could well be another season of treading water.  (note) Unfortunately, due to laws growers are not allowed to discuss future planting/production plans.   Even with industry collaboration it may not have avoided a domestic oversupply as is currently occurring but it may have helped!  

Potentially, Lack of Exporting the Main Issue:

If there was going to be disruption to exporting tomatoes, due to the uncertainty of shipping by sea or the cost to air freight, then the bottle neck was always going to be now.  Another question on my mind is how are our traditional international markets/buyers coping with all of the disruptions Covid-19 has caused.  Are their barriers importing from their end?  For now, until supply softens then the only winner will be the NZ consumer which is of little comfort to growers treading water. (also read last editions article news/post/weather-great/)

Spare a thought:

However, even though greenhouse vegetable growers face a ‘tricky’ few weeks, with another lockdown and poor returns, it would appear we are still faring better than our orchard cousins.  I understand growers are working overtime to harvest crops before fruit is too ripe to pick.   Labour shortages is an ongoing issue for the greenhouse industry but the opportunity of permanent employment gives greenhouse’s an advantage when trying to compete for the current limited staffing pool.  And let’s face it we are all competing for a limited pool of workers at this point, and we all need our produce picked.

Kiwifruit:

Kiwifruit harvesting is just around the corner and I will be watching closely how this significant industry player will fair in the coming months.  I know our industry bodies will be doing everything within their powers to make sure it is a success but if the current situation, of fruit picker shortages, continues then until the last tray is picked, packed and shipped I will be holding my breath.

International:

Last week I read, due to fruit rotting on the ground in Australian orchards, that a fruit fly outbreak could occur that could severely affect exporting to many international markets. Their loss may well be an opportunity for NZ to fill these markets. Click the link below to read the full article

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/your-pride-falls-with-it-rotting-fruit-on-farms-will-soon-be-a-problem-in-your-home-garden-20210204-p56zih.html

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Article Written and compiled by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower

Production stable, price under pressure

Last week I heard, on the radio, a person complaining about the amount of rain we have had!  Was that person kidding?  This time last year my lawn was a desert and Hawkes Bay farmers were living through one of the worst droughts in living memory.  The Auckland water reservoirs were starting to drop rapidly (still are not great).

Even though we have had several storms, (my water tanks are full) light levels have been sufficient and production is stable.  Talking to growers over the past week the main issue is less to do with plant health but returns currently achieved by greenhouse vegetable growers.   It is not just traditional greenhouse produce that returns have been low but a myriad of crops.  Hopefully the silver lining is this will increase consumption of healthy, in season fruit and veg. 

The Home Gardner:

Last year, just before the first lockdown, ‘the home garden’ seed and plant sales went ballistic.    It has been ideal conditions for growing in the garden this spring and summer.  Perhaps, due to Covid-19 & the constant threat of further lockdowns, and less travel, the humble home gardener has been able to maintain vegetable patches much more efficiently than in the past.   Harvesting enough fresh produce from the garden will directly reduce the need to purchase from the supermarkets.   Many of those garden fruit and vegetable favourites will be in full harvest right now as well. 

So not only are growers potentially competing against each other but possibly the reinvigoration of the home gardener.  

Eating Habits of the non-Gardener:

It would be great to understand, as a result of Covid-19 and the lockdowns, how eating and purchasing habits have changed.    I have heard it called the Covid-5kg where some of our waistlines may have expanded due to eating excessive amounts of potato chips, home baking and drinking an extra beverage or two while watching Netflix.  Have eating habits changed to the point that less fruit and vegetables is being consumed long term, am I suffering from a COVID-19 can’t stop consuming unhealthy food disorder?   

This article I read showed a noticeable drop in fresh fruit consumed in lockdown by some Danes. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7752855/

What could growers consider?

It’s difficult as uncertainty around Covid-19 continues.  I would certainly not cut corners or make radical changes, as you never know what next month will bring in terms of supply and demand.  Smaller growing operations may be in a position to use historical data to pin point times of the year it is better to be growing young plants rather than harvesting from mature plants.  Having a contract would be great with whomever you are selling your produce to.  For larger business, with locked in supply contracts, they have no choice but to produce in times of high volume and low prices to meet their obligations.   Smaller businesses or businesses with multiple growing compartments, may be in a better position to investigate alternate opportunities, such as growing berries, ginger, tropical fruit etc.

New Zealand’s combined greenhouse area of tomatoes, cucumbers and capsicums compared to other indoor produce grown is high.  With new high tech, energy efficient producing greenhouses built to grow tomatoes in the coming years it is also the ideal time to investigate new opportunities. 

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Article Written and compiled by Stefan Vogrincic, Consultant, Grower2Grower

Article Edited by Marie Vogrincic, Editor, Grower2Grower