AU: Mango growers leaving fruit to rot
Local growers are blaming the decision on high production costs and increasing competition from other regions.
Geoffrey Foy, who has 1,300 trees at the Coconut Grove Mango Farm, says Broome growers no longer fill a gap in the market.
"As the market works, Queensland comes in, as all the growers know, Northern Territory next, Broome, Carnarvon, then Gin Gin, and it just doesn't add up.
"The Territory take the cream and we get the dregs at the end of it all."
Mr Foy says he started to feel the pinch about five years ago.
"I could see the writing on the wall but we kept persevering and putting up with it.
"Two years ago, I had to call it quits as I could not compete at all. We were more out in wages, transport, box costs, fertiliser costs, at the end of the day I was actually loosing money."
Mr Foy says he would need about $25 per box to make a profit, an amount he says is unrealistic and unattainable.
Source: abc.net.au
