A strawberry grower has made a patriotic call on Australians to 'pick for your country' to stem the labour shortage that's already resulting in fruit being left to rot.
A Queensland strawberry grower is calling on Australians to "pick for their country" in a bid to stop fruit going to rot amid the labour shortage.Growers say the problem will get worse next year after working holidaymakers return homeBells Creek farmer Di West, of Suncoast Harvest, says— a concern shared by the National Farmers' Federation and peak body AusVeg.
Ms West said she was forced to abandon entire paddocks because she did not have enough workers to pick and pack produce. "There was already a certain amount of people committed to be here for the season when this all unfolded, so next year is what we're worried about because there's no new people coming in to replace these people," the Bells Creek farmer said.
"We are really, really worried about next year and I think every Australian should be worried because these people pick and pack all of the food that we eat."Ms West said she expected to have to cut back plantings next year by at least 30 per cent. "If that happens across the board on a lot of different commodities then [prices will rise] — that's going to have a significant impact on people's pockets."COVID-19 is challenging the country's $14.4 billion dollar horticulture industry which has traditionally relied on working holiday makers to help get fruit and vegetables off the farm.
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