The industry is rapidly working with Government, post-harvest operators, HortNZ and local councils to explore what support may be available.
Thank you to the Growers who volunteered to donate their windfall fruit to charity. The NZ Food Network worked with as many of those Growers as they could to recover and distribute the fruit to charities nationwide.
We encourage growers to attend the upcoming meetings to get first hand guidance and feedback to industry where support is most needed. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact info@nzavocado.co.nz
Classification of wind event
NZ Avocado can now confirm that the BOP wind event on 13 and 14 September has been classified by MPI as a ‘localised event’. ‘
Given this classification, MPI will now:
1. Notify Inland Revenue of the classification so that growers can access existing tax flexibility provisions (e.g., re-estimation of provisional tax, early withdrawals from Income Equalisation Scheme accounts, and late payment/filing relief).
2. Engage MSD to ensure awareness that affected growers may be eligible for Working for Families adjustments, Emergency Benefit, or other assistance where income is impacted.
3. Engage with both Regional and Local councils to notify them of the classification and start the process of enabling support options that maybe available.
4. Work with the Bay of Plenty Rural Support Trust (RST) to confirm its role in providing pastoral care, wellbeing referral, mentoring, and community support activities, within existing funding arrangements.
NZ Avocado will continue to work with MPI and other agencies to support growers through this event.
Support available for BOP wind event
NZ Avocado is pleased to pass on that the NZ Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust have offered support to Bay of Plenty growers affected by the recent wind event.
What’s available
Orchards that have suffered significant fruit drop or orchard damage will have the opportunity to seek professional advice from consultants to help with recovery strategies, insurance assessment and to examine financial and production outcomes for their business.
Eligibility
This support is targeted to individual growers with significant (>70%) fruit loss who have no or limited other income sources.
To ensure growers are getting the right advice, the industry will also review and communicate details of suitably qualified consultants.
Process for growers
Growers can find the application form below.
Once the application is verified by NZAGA, growers can engage with the appropriate consultant who will invoice the NZ Fruitgrowers Charitable Trust directly after having invoices approved by NZAGA.