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Summerfruit New Zealand says growers have been inundated with applications from New Zealanders wanting harvesting work, and some are struggling to deal with the response.
Cherries Photo: summerfruitnz.co.nz
The industry has experienced a huge influx of interest for work over the past few weeks, catching some fruit growers out.
The Council of Trade Unions says some applicants are waiting weeks to hear back, if at all, while some are being turned down.
For months, orchard owners have called on the government to let in more seasonal workers from Pacific countries, in order to ensure harvests can go ahead.
Māni Dunlop spoke with the chairman of Summerfruit New Zealand Tim Jones.