In the lead-up to Chinese New Year, Clyde Orchards in Central Otago is operating at full capacity as cherries harvested from surrounding orchards are washed, packed, and prepared for export. "We're now packing fruit today that was picked this morning," said packhouse manager Kris Robb. "We want to keep the cherries fresh, we want to keep the stalks fresh, and we want to really maintain that crispness of the fruit before it gets into the cool store."
The business is run by third-generation brothers Kevin and Raymond Musso, with the next generation joining operations. The orchards cover more than 105 hectares across three Central Otago locations: Earnscleugh, Bannockburn near Cromwell, and Bendigo.
Clyde Orchards grows, packs, exports, and markets its own fruit. "That vertical integration for us is probably a real driver of the success of the business, and the viability of it going forward. It really means that we're in charge of our own destiny. We're focusing on high-end niche products [so] that we are able to control how it's grown and when it's packed, how it's packed and how it's sold," Robb said.
Central Otago's climate supports summer fruit production. "The trees need those cooler temperatures in the winter – it's called winter chilling – and they need a certain amount of hours, the lowest degrees for them to know that it's time to wake up again when the spring comes," Robb said. "Then that hot, dry summer helps us with pest and disease control, but it also assists with those flavours of the fruit that everyone loves."
Cherries and flat peaches form the core business. Around 10 cherry varieties are grown across half of the orchard area, extending harvest for about eight weeks from mid-December. Export markets include Taiwan, China, Malaysia, and Singapore. The company also grows and packs flat peaches commercially in New Zealand.
A wet summer delayed the cherry harvest by about a week, with volumes lower than planned. "It was more important to allow the fruit to mature properly and pick when it was at its best," Robb said.
More than 150 staff support harvest and packing. The workforce includes local residents, backpackers, and 20 workers from Vanuatu under the Recognised Seasonal Employer programme. Many have returned for multiple seasons. "It's great to have them here," Robb said.
RSE worker Mike Mangau said, "When we earn money here, it's good to take something back home." He has invested in a coffee plantation, beekeeping, and a local kindergarten on Tanna.
Source: The Country
