Michael Franks
Kiwifruit growers need a miracle to achieve a good season
The kiwifruit picking season is about to get underway but a lack of backpackers and seasonal workers has some growers worried their crops might end up on the compost heap. At the peak of the season, 3… Audio
What to do with an abundance of avocados?
The big horticulture news today is that we're having an avocado glut! So if you don't have an avocado pear baby at home chewing through them, what do you do with this wealth of green goodness? Michael… Audio
Kiwifruit industry reluctant to share intellectual property
A major grower of Kiwifruit says the industry is going to be reluctant to share the rights to growing Sun Gold kiwifruits with China. Zespri owns the rights to Sun Gold, yet it estimates about 5500… Audio
Kiwifruit Gold growers to compete with illicit China fruit
Earlier this week Zespri, the country's sole exporter of kiwifruit, announced it is to partner with a state-run Chinese company to buy SunGold fruit grown illicitly in China. Zespri owns rights to the… Audio
Growers on 2000 new RSE workers on the way
RSE workers are coming back to New Zealand, but not until the new year.
Growers will be able to bring the workers to NZ in January, provided they pay a living wage and the cost of managed isolation.
…Australian government try to poach New Zealand fruit pickers
The Australian Government is offering New Zealanders - and other migrant workers - $2,000 up-front if they move there to pick fruit.
The offer, advertised on the Australian jobseeker website, comes… Audio
Seeka buys packing and coolstore operation
Kiwifruit company Seeka has bought a packing and coolstore operation near Tauranga for 25-million dollars. Audio
Seeka to sell orchards in Northland
Kiwifruit grower and exporter, Seeka is planning to sell land in Northland. Audio
Seeka says record harvest will be a challenge to manage
Seeka says the kiwi fruit harvest is so big, it will be a challenge to juggle the storage requirments through to the end of the year. Audio
Seeka sees potential for further losses from PSA
New Zealand's largest kiwifruit grower says there is potential for further losses resulting from PSA, as a growing number of growers join a class action suit against the government for damages. Audio
Seeka joins the class action for damages on PSA
New Zealand's largest kiwifruit grower has joined a class action suit against the government because it says the courts are best placed to determine what damages should be awarded to growers over the… Audio
Psa-V spreads almost throughout NZ
Michael Franks, Chief Executive of New Zealand's largest kiwifruit grower and processor, Seeka, and Neil Trebilco, president of NZ Kiwifruit Growers Inc, discuss the implications of the devastation… Audio
Kiwifruit grower and packer considering legal action
The kiwifruit grower and packer, Seeka, is considering legal action for compensation as a result of a report which found shortcomings in the biosecurity systems could have resulted in the outbreak of… Audio
PSA in Kiwifruit reaches crisis level
With the onset of Spring weather it's becoming clear that the PSA blight is attacking more vines than anticipated. General Manager of Kiwifruit Vine Health Incorporated, John Burke, and Chief… Audio
Evening Business News for 25 November 2010
The country's largest kiwifruit processor, Seeka, has lifted its half year profit by a third, due to higher prices and the purchase of another packing house. Audio
Seeka says PSA outbreak would devastate kiwifruit industry
The billion-dollar kiwifruit industry is holding emergency meetings after an outbreak of a disease that's devastated crops overseas. Audio