During peak harvest season, Ngila hires an average of around 150 seasonal workers from nearby villages and surrounding areas to help with harvesting their coffee. As not all of these individuals live locally, Ngila provides on-site accommodation for them to stay in for the duration of their employment.
The season is currently just beginning in Karatu, and so at the moment Ngila have only about 40 workers commuting from the local town, with that number due to increase to 90 by next week. Meanwhile, farm manager Paul has been arranging for improvements to be made to the on-site accommodation: new roofing to be fitted, better heating and water systems, adding new furniture to the rooms - there’s a lot to be done!
Ultimately, Ngila want to make their farm an attractive place to work. They require workers to hand-pick cherries to ensure only ripe fruits are gathered, where other farms in the area may use machines. It can be a laborious job, so it’s important that they make it worth everyone’s while by paying good wages and providing benefits like health insurance, food, and a decent place to rest.