Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news!

Subscribe I am already a subscriber

You are using software which is blocking our advertisements (adblocker).

As we provide the news for free, we are relying on revenues from our banners. So please disable your adblocker and reload the page to continue using this site.
Thanks!

Click here for a guide on disabling your adblocker.

Sign up for our daily Newsletter and stay up to date with all the latest news!

Subscribe I am already a subscriber

Visit to Seeka NZ 2017

Giant kiwi at the entrance to the Seeka office.
Giant kiwi at the entrance to the Seeka office.
Seeka's bright new branding!
Seeka's bright new branding!
Oakside one of Seeka's packing sheds.
Oakside one of Seeka's packing sheds.
From the bins the kiwifruit goes through brushes to clean it up.
From the bins the kiwifruit goes through brushes to clean it up.
This packing shed has 3 grading lines.
This packing shed has 3 grading lines.
The fruit is graded, all the Class I goes for export through Zespri.
The fruit is graded, all the Class I goes for export through Zespri.
A final extra check is done on the quality, size etc of the fruit.
A final extra check is done on the quality, size etc of the fruit.
A Class I box of green kiwis ready for export.
A Class I box of green kiwis ready for export.
…
There are jumbo gold kiwifruit packed in single layer trays, this has a been a season of particularly big fruit.
There are jumbo gold kiwifruit packed in single layer trays, this has a been a season of particularly big fruit.
Normally the size would average at 27s, but this year it is 22s with quite a few 18s.
Normally the size would average at 27s, but this year it is 22s with quite a few 18s.
“The blue box”! Seeka is known for its blue boxes, this the new season boxes with all new Seeka branding.
“The blue box”! Seeka is known for its blue boxes, this the new season boxes with all new Seeka branding.
There are also plenty of Zespri boxes around.
There are also plenty of Zespri boxes around.
This the new NIR machine which tests the dry matter in the kiwis, it does let some more fruit through but it has its limitations.
This the new NIR machine which tests the dry matter in the kiwis, it does let some more fruit through but it has its limitations.
Oakside will pack 9 million cartons this year, down on last year's 10.7 million.
Oakside will pack 9 million cartons this year, down on last year's 10.7 million.
Here the kiwifruit is sorted by feel, the biggest problem with kiwis is if they are soft at this stage.
Here the kiwifruit is sorted by feel, the biggest problem with kiwis is if they are soft at this stage.
It is now the end of the season and some growers have been 'hanging on' to the fruit to try get the dry matter up.
It is now the end of the season and some growers have been 'hanging on' to the fruit to try get the dry matter up.
There was frost on Sunday 21st which caused the try trees to shut down so growers are now keen to get all the fruit in.
There was frost on Sunday 21st which caused the try trees to shut down so growers are now keen to get all the fruit in.
Paul Crone is site manager at Oakside.
Paul Crone is site manager at Oakside.
The automatic palatizer, means less labour costs and the the pallets can stack higher for the container shipping.
The automatic palatizer, means less labour costs and the the pallets can stack higher for the container shipping.
Next we went to see some harvesting, here are blue bins developed by Seeka.
Next we went to see some harvesting, here are blue bins developed by Seeka.
Kiwis!
Kiwis!
…
Pickers hard at work.
Pickers hard at work.
The pickers need to place the fruit in their baskets, not drop it in as this can cause bruising on the fruit.
The pickers need to place the fruit in their baskets, not drop it in as this can cause bruising on the fruit.
…
Next was KKP packing shed, it is one of the older ones but still very good. This is where they do the last extra quality control check.
Next was KKP packing shed, it is one of the older ones but still very good. This is where they do the last extra quality control check.
Kiwis in the Seeka boxes will be class II which is exported to Australia.
Kiwis in the Seeka boxes will be class II which is exported to Australia.
KKP packs mostly thee green variety.
KKP packs mostly thee green variety.
These are the grading lines.
These are the grading lines.
The packhouse staff work 11hrs a day and 6 days a week during thee season.
The packhouse staff work 11hrs a day and 6 days a week during thee season.
…
This were the kiwis are weighed and stickered.
This were the kiwis are weighed and stickered.
This were the kiwis are weighed and stickered.
This were the kiwis are weighed and stickered.
And packed into the trays.
And packed into the trays.
The kiwifruit has be arranged by hand in the single layer boxes.
The kiwifruit has be arranged by hand in the single layer boxes.
Chris Birmingham, packhouse manager.
Chris Birmingham, packhouse manager.
The kiwis are tipped from the bins at the start of the packing process.
The kiwis are tipped from the bins at the start of the packing process.
They are brushed before the get on the lines.
They are brushed before the get on the lines.
…
Seeka blue bins.
Seeka blue bins.
Zespri greens in the cold storage with Xsense tag to monitor the temperature.
Zespri greens in the cold storage with Xsense tag to monitor the temperature.
…
This is the pre-cooling rooms which reduces the fruit temperature much faster that the normal coldstores. The core temperature is reduced within 8-12 hours.
This is the pre-cooling rooms which reduces the fruit temperature much faster that the normal coldstores. The core temperature is reduced within 8-12 hours.
This is a normal static store with no racks, pallets are lined up here to ensure good airflow.
This is a normal static store with no racks, pallets are lined up here to ensure good airflow.
Pallets here are hand stacked.
Pallets here are hand stacked.
This is the Huka Pak Packhouse where the organic kiwis are packed.
This is the Huka Pak Packhouse where the organic kiwis are packed.
This dynamic drop machine sorts the fruit into the different sizes and then boxes it.
This dynamic drop machine sorts the fruit into the different sizes and then boxes it.
…
The fruit is weighed and then labelled.
The fruit is weighed and then labelled.
The workers rearrange the fruit before it it automatically put in the single layer trays.
The workers rearrange the fruit before it it automatically put in the single layer trays.
These lines can pack 12 trays a minute at top speed but are usually run at 6 per minute.
These lines can pack 12 trays a minute at top speed but are usually run at 6 per minute.
This where the fruit weighed before being labelled.
This where the fruit weighed before being labelled.
Kiwifruit coming into the packhouse.
Kiwifruit coming into the packhouse.
Quality control.
Quality control.
The bin tips the kiwis straight from thee field.
The bin tips the kiwis straight from thee field.
…
The kiwifruit is stored at 1 degree.
The kiwifruit is stored at 1 degree.
Organic kiwifruit for Zespri.
Organic kiwifruit for Zespri.
This packing machine is used later in the season to pack punnets which are very popular on the Australian market. There won't be many this year due the large fruit size.
This packing machine is used later in the season to pack punnets which are very popular on the Australian market. There won't be many this year due the large fruit size.
Jarrad Bates, Kuka Pak packhouse manager.
Jarrad Bates, Kuka Pak packhouse manager.
Seeka recently completed the new office at the 360 site in Te Puke.
Seeka recently completed the new office at the 360 site in Te Puke.
Entrance to the building.
Entrance to the building.