Coronavirus: Hawke's Bay primary sector roles highlighted to COVID-19 unemployed

The mayor of Hastings is highlighting jobs in the region's food producing sector as some companies struggle to keep up with production under the COVID-19 lockdown.

Primary industries have been classified as essential services under the level 4 lockdown.

However those which continue to operate must adhere to strict health and safety rules to stop the chance of the virus spreading.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said keeping food on the table was trickier under COVID-19 physical distancing conditions, but Hawke's Bay's food producers were focused on the task.

"The need to keep everyone safe through physical distancing, from pickers in the field to the staff in pack houses and processing factories, means more people are needed across a whole range of steps in the food production process," said Hazlehurst.

She said was keen to make sure people who may have lost their normal employment because of the virus were aware of other opportunities available.

"Our economy is our fertile land and what we harvest from it. To keep our economy moving, we must support our primary producers and keep our people in jobs."

Wattie's alone needed 200 more staff, from engineers and electricians to processors; seasonal and permanent. 

"The focus is on keeping up production, while ensuring staff are safe," said Wattie's managing director Neil Heffer.

"Our people have been magnificent in adapting to the new protocols that range from the changeover of shifts to social distancing in the operating areas (with screens on production lines where that is not possible) and seating arrangements in the cafeteria," said Heffer.

"Our people have been amazing and we take our hats off to them. They have had to deal with altered family situations, households in lockdown and new workplace protocols, and they come to work eager to do what they can."