Fruit growers concerned about visa processing delays

The NFF has warned that the government is putting Australia’s food security, regional economies and farm safety at risk if it pushes ahead with the crackdown.

NFF president Hamish McIntyre said farmers were furious that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s migration announcement confirmed a three-month processing time frame for working holidaymakers when approvals had previously taken only days.

“This is a low blow for farmers and the businesses that produce Australia’s food and fibre,” Mr McIntyre said.

“The government’s unilateral slowdown on working holidaymaker visas has already caused havoc across agriculture ahead of the busiest time of year for food and fibre production.

“Working holidaymakers fill about one in seven farm jobs, making them central to getting food and fibre produced, harvested, packed and into supermarkets.

“Farmers need approvals in days, not months. For many farms, three months is the difference between harvesting a crop and losing it.

“The government has been asleep at the wheel on this issue and now risks careering off the road at the worst possible time for Australian agriculture.”

Mr McIntyre said the farming sector was facing intense cost pressure, with broadacre cropping profits expected to fall sharply this season, driven partly by rising fuel and fertiliser costs.

“At a time when farm businesses are already staring down a projected 39 per cent reduction in broadacre cropping profits, adding avoidable workforce shortages is disastrous policy.

“When farms cannot get workers at the right time, crops are left unpicked, livestock care becomes harder, safety risks rise for people working unsustainable hours, and households ultimately pay the price at the checkout.”

Governments should consider the impact of changes they make on regional areas, says Goulburn Valley farmer and Fruit Growers Victoria grower services manager Michael Crisera.

He’s calling for greater certainty around visa processing as the peak harvest season fast approaches and access to seasonal staff appears to dry up.

Mr Crisera said the decision “simply doesn’t make sense”.

Working holiday visas played a critical role in the horticultural industry, particularly for smaller operators, he said.

This is especially the case for work in packing sheds.

Mr Crisera believes the timing of this decision could not be worse.

“In horticulture, timing is everything,” he said.

“When fruit and vegetables are ready, they need to be picked.

“You cannot put a crop on hold while you wait for workers to arrive.

“A shortage of workers at the wrong time can mean produce is left in the field, quality is lost and growers lose income.

“We need confidence that the workforce will be available when the crop is ready.”

He called on governments to consult more widely and get as much data as possible before making decisions impacting the agriculture industry.

Citrus Australia has warned that a slowdown in visa processing threatens the industry's ability to secure the workforce it needs each season.

“Our industry picks close to a million tonnes of fruit each year, nearly all of it by hand, and we need every single worker we can get,” Citrus Australia chief executive Nathan Hancock said.

“A bureaucratic go-slow on working holidaymaker visas will have a real and detrimental impact on growers’ annual harvest.”