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With less than a month until harvest, Central Otago orchards are scrambling to find staff.
The region needs upwards of 5000 seasonal workers across the horticulture and viticulture industries during peak season in December and January.
Orchards say their usual supply of backpackers remains cut off and they're unsure how many RSE workers will be around.
Otago-Southland reporter Tess Brunton has more.