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Story: Hawke’s Bay region

Pea processing at Wattie's, 1959

Video file

Wattie’s soon became a major employer and a key source of income for horticultural farmers in Hawke’s Bay. Labour shortages forced the mechanisation of the company’s production line. This worked to its advantage, as produce like peas could be canned within a few hours of being harvested.

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Archives New Zealand - Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: Pictorial Parade 87. National Film Unit, 1959

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Hawke’s Bay region – Horticulture, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/video/23912/pea-processing-at-watties-1959 (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 22 January 2010, updated 1 July 2015.