Although the peak of the stonefruit season was just beginning, there had not been the accommodation shortages experienced last summer and problems would hopefully not occur, Dunstan Hills manager Ian Nicholls, of Earnscleugh, said.
A new accommodation block for about 40 workers was built at Dunstan Hills three months ago, replacing previous accommodation that burned down.
Other Central Otago orchardists had also provided new accommodation, and many orchardists had staff camping on site, Mr Nicholls said.
''More people are aware there's an issue and they've added more [accommodation].''
In the Teviot Valley, some orchards have their own staff accommodation blocks, as well as tent sites.
Pickers and packing staff also stayed in commercial accommodation in Roxburgh, Fairview Orchards owner Stephen Jeffery, of Coal Creek, Roxburgh, said.
On Jackson Orchards, in Cromwell, there had been no staff accommodation issues so far, one of the managers, Julie Tate, said.
The orchard provided accommodation for about 40 workers at this stage, with units, powered and tent sites, and other staff staying in vans and cars on-site.
Things were ''amping up'' as the height of the harvest arrived, she said.
Several thousand orchard staff work in the district at the peak of the fruit season. Other accommodation projects are planned, including one in Cemetery Rd, near Cromwell.
The multimillion-dollar, multi-lot development, by Hamilton-based company AC/JV Holdings Ltd, which is headed by directors Alistair William Hey, of Queenstown, and Clark Michael Proctor, of Auckland, will provide accommodation catering for up to 700 seasonal workers.
It will go on part of a 7ha block of industrially zoned land sold by the Central Otago District Council. The purchaser has been contracted to have made ''reasonable progress'' on building the accommodation within 18 months.
