The Alliance Group Pukeuri plant is already at full capacity, manager Geoff Proctor told Courier Country on Monday morning.
The third killing chain started a week ago, bringing staff numbers ''close to 900'', he said.
''We've had a good season so far.''
Stock was in ''very good condition'', with the older-season lambs carrying plenty of weight. They were being processed to supply the northern hemisphere Christmas chilled market, loaded on to ships for the long voyage.
''We had a very good calf kill,'' Mr Proctor said. All the resulting veal was exported.
Favourable weather conditions had led to ''reasonably good lambing'' in North Otago and South Canterbury, and ''there's plenty of cattle around to keep us busy'', he said.
''The days of the six-month season have gone.''
Pukeuri had stayed in action longer than usual into the winter, to receive visits from Chinese inspectors. The plant had regained full authority to send its products to China from early June, Mr Proctor said.
The Ministry for Primary Industries had twice suspended Pukeuri's licence to export to China last year after a labelling error and incorrect exportation of products from a facility not listed by Chinese authorities.
The shut-down at Pukeuri had been just four and a-half weeks this year.
The plant had been able to secure the staff it needed, thanks to the efforts of personnel manager Gary Byrne, Mr Proctor said.