Victorian growers contemplating future after SPC cuts
Friday, 12/04/2013
Growers estimate SPC Ardmona's latest cuts to quotas for canning fruit in Victoria's Goulburn Valley could cost the industry tens of millions of dollars.
Next year the fruit processor will reduce its intake of peaches and pears by 20,000 tonnes, leaving many growers without a home for their fruit.
John Wilson, general manager of Fruit Growers Victoria now hopes the state and federal governments can step in and offer assistance.
"We're looking at putting together a program which will have support for transition and for exit for the industry," he said.
"Of course that means we'll be asking government to put some money into the program.
"That'll be a painful experience both ways, but a necessary one."
SPC expects to meet with all affected growers over the coming weeks.
The company says it continues to lose market share against imported private label canned fruit and high Australian dollar isn't helping.
Mr Wilson says he supports the company's push to convince major retailers to stock only Australian fruit in their home brands.
What a sorry situation we find ourselves in, paying orchardists to exit their farms. Perhaps the Chinese and other foreign investors will buy them up at the fire sale, seemingly this is the trend ?
Will multinational SPC ( Coca-Cola Amatil ) then look to buy cheap imported fruit for their operations, when the local farmers are gone ?
So much for the National Party being the farmers friend, they are so caught up in the globalist free trade politics and foreign investment they couldn't do anything even if they wanted to, they are redundant.
Sadly for Australian consumers the story is no better, all that will be on offer for consumption is toxic and dangerous imports.
The big money men and their political connections will still be turning a profit, while the rest of Australia and Australians crash and burn.
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