Summerfruit NZ's interim chief executive, Richard Palmer, reflects on the challenges of the new decade.
Whilst the new year sees frenetic activity in our sector, those not affected by nature and the seasons often have a bit more time to reflect on the challenges of the new decade. One brief article I read recently struck a particular chord with me. Albeit intended more for large global companies, the messages are equally relevant to our sector. I'd like to focus on three key aspects.
1. You’re a tech company – regardless of your industry or sector. Across the horticulture sector, we have extensive collections of historic data; are we harnessing that to aid our decision making? What are the unanswered questions that 24/7 on-farm sensing, connected through the IoT, may be able to answer? Are we conscious of the downside risks from layered data which others in the supply chain may leverage against us, and therefore the actions we must consider to protect ourselves? Are we establishing our production to utilise machines? Whilst we don't have all the answers, being adaptive to the opportunities and risks is a must.
2. Every business will still be a peoples’ business. We know the critical importance of getting the right things done at the right time in horticulture, which takes talented, committed people. Competition for people is running hot, so, as the article says,
You need to make sure your company is a workplace that attracts and retains the best and the brightest, no matter how traditional or 'non-tech' your industry might be.
3. Go 'multi-local' and develop a purpose that is good for society. We're already there – no purpose can be better than producing high quality, safe and healthy food!
Increasingly our consumer base is expecting, if not demanding, that our production meets societal expectation, especially on the environment and human rights. New Zealand has a great story in these areas, but we mustn't be complacent, nor see this as short term-ism. We are often multi-generational growers, who understand the impact of change on our capital asset – the land and water. Meeting the expectation of society and consumers on working within the environment, should therefore be pretty seamless – let's leverage that.
To read the article Richard refers to in full, click here.
Photo: Growers discuss new Nzsummer series apricots at recent field walk in Bay View.