Good availability of seasonal work in the Bay of Plenty is being attributed as the reason for a substantial decrease in the number of beneficiaries in the region in February.
Figures released by Minister for Social Development Paula Bennett show nationally there were 4224 fewer people on the unemployment benefit in February than in January.
“That’s the single biggest drop in the unemployment benefit since the recession began,” says Paula.
Three regions experienced particularly large decreases: East Coast by 20 per cent, Auckland by 16 per cent and Bay of Plenty by 11 per cent.
Much of this in the Bay of Plenty is as a result of the kiwifruit sector, which economic development agency Priority One CEO Andrew Coker says is responsible for about 12,000 seasonal jobs at the peak of the picking period.
“It’s a vital component in the region’s economy,” says Andrew.
“With 20 per cent of the total GDP in the Western Bay and an increasing number of growers in the Eastern Bay, it is growing in importance.”
The number of people on all types of benefit dropped by 10,816 in February, with the majority of these beneficiaries under the age of 25.
“It’s really pleasing to see 5595 young people came off a benefit in just the last month,” says Paula.