WORKING IN ’TROPICAL’ WARKWORTH JUST LIKE HOME.

Southern Paprika Ltd (SPL) in Warkworth, New Zealand, employs approximately 120 permanent staff, with a majority of them from Kiribati and Tuvalu. These workers are crucial for picking crops and pruning plants in the tropical conditions of the glasshouses. While Kiwi workers are not as interested in this work, SPL finds the investment in hiring RSE workers worth it for the reliable labor they provide. The company has a longstanding relationship with Kiribati and Tuvalu, and many of their staff have become permanent residents in Warkworth. The RSE workers contribute to the local community and economy, and SPL supports them by providing pastoral care and assisting with shipping containers filled with supplies and equipment to send back to their home countries. The RSE scheme has been successful, but there are challenges ahead, including changes in labor markets in the Pacific and the ongoing effects of natural disasters on crops. [Extracted from the article]