Our fruit is exceptional, and comes from a dedication to the land we grow it on. Doug and Eletheria Jones started their fruit growing journey in the early 1980s, purchasing a 10 hectare mixed fruit orchard. Over 30 years on, Suncrest Orchard has blossomed into a successful enterprise that Doug and Eletheria still enjoy working in today.
Jobs
Fruit thinning
This is the removal of small fruitlets off the trees to enable the remaining fruit to grow to the desired size for the required market. This job is done with scissors or by hand and the employee must be fit, able to climb to the top of a 2.7 metre ladder, able to carry the ladder between blocks and place it in the appropriate position. You must be capable of working in the outdoors i.e. working in the sun or in cool conditions.
Payment is by a mixture of hourly rate i.e. $18.50 plus 8% holiday pay, and contract rates i.e. so much per tree – the rate varies and is agreed upon before the work commences on different rows.
Picking
this is the harvesting of fruit to the required standard, and again this is physical work. The employee must be able to lift, manoeuvre and climb to the top of a 2.7 metre ladder. You must also be able to carry the ladder between blocks. You will be assigned a tree to pick which you must harvest to the required standard then you will move, with your ladder, to your next assigned tree. The employee must be capable of working long hours and be able to work in the outdoors i.e. in the heat and in the cold. Most of the picking is paid by contract rates.
The picking rate varies but the minimum bucket rate (5kg) for cherries is $5.00 plus 8% holiday pay. You must be able to pick enough buckets to earn at least the New Zealand minimum wage ($17.70 per hour) in order to retain your position. There is occasionally hourly-rated picking, but this is very limited and the pay rate is $18.50 per hour plus holiday pay.
Packing
The seasonal positions in our packhouse involve standing at a sorting table and grading fruit into different grade standards, loading the grader, packing other summerfruit, making boxes, washing buckets, stacking pallets and other duties as required. The employee must be fit and have a good concentration span.
Employees must be able to work long hours and work can be 7 days per week. Payment for the work is hourly-rated -$18.00 per hour plus holiday pay.
