Michael Tripodi's summer days are usually spent picking and selling his stone fruit at Swan Hill, in northern Victoria.
Key points:
- 30 tonnes of plums left to rot on stone fruit grower's orchard floor
- Some growers consider walking away after a tough season
- National stone fruit exports expected to be down 20 per cent
But this year, 30 tonnes of his plums will be left to rot on his orchard floor.
"The price of plums is very, very poor at the moment, and labour is hard to find," Mr Tripodi said.
Considering walking away
When COVID-19 travel restrictions put a stop to the usual army of backpackers and overseas workers, Mr Tripodi, like many other farmers in the region, were left in the lurch.
And he said this season, some growers were considering abandoning the industry.
"I've heard of two farmers this year that probably won't go around next year … but we hope that's not true," Mr Tripodi said.
However, the problem extends beyond the paddock.
The stone fruits the farmers do manage to pick are being sold at reduced prices, or in some cases not at all.
"We're oversupplied at the moment because of the lack of exports during COVID-19," Mr Tripodi said.
"It's driving our price down and down.
Shoppers urged to buy locally
Summerfruit Australia chief executive Trevor Ranford said national stone fruit exports were expected to be down by about 20 per cent by the end of summer.
"In the last two years we've exported over 23,000t to 35 to 40 countries around the world," he said.
"Any reduction in that puts pressure on the domestic market.
"The prices at retail can vary at times. You can see some low prices and some high prices, so it's very hard to predict.
"At times, the growers are at the mercy of the retailers and the retail programs."
Melbourne fruit wholesaler Michael Piccolo said the loss of exports had created a glut in the market.
He said the price for some stone fruit had almost halved since this time last year.
"You can even find cheaper with composite grade."
He said stone fruit growers were not happy.
"We're in the markets every day, we're talking to all of our suppliers and growers," Mr Piccolo said.
"They're finding that the export market is down due to COVID-19 so that has caused a big issue.
"I think there needs to be a lot more support for an industry when it's heading in this direction.
Seasonal worker deal slow
There is still little progress on the deal between the Victorian and Tasmanian governments to bring more than 1,500 Pacific Islander workers into Australia to help pick the fruit.
But Mr Ranford said by the time they arrived and completed quarantine it would be too late for the stone fruit industry.
"Industry raised the issues of labour 12 months ago.
"What we've got to look at now is how to expand our export opportunities, and we're working with our government to try and open up countries like Vietnam, South Korea and Japan.
"The reality is, access to China took the industry some 10 years to achieve, and it wasn't on the back of the desire of industry, it's just the nature of negotiating protocols with a country."
"fruit" - Google News
February 08, 2021 at 08:04AM
https://ift.tt/39WcK5W
Fruit left to rot in Swan Hill orchard as stone fruit exports drop and prices plummet - ABC News
"fruit" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2pWUrc9
https://ift.tt/3aVawBg
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Fruit left to rot in Swan Hill orchard as stone fruit exports drop and prices plummet - ABC News"
Post a Comment