Australian farmers are warning that prices will go up, hitting stone fruit, apples, pears and cherries if their businesses are to stay afloat. Victorian fruit farmers already contending with labor shortages, high fuel costs and another La Nina event are also dealing with a NSW outbreak of a deadly parasite that is infecting bees.
Prices need to increase between 50 cents to $1 per kilogram across fruit categories for farmers to be able to recoup their surging costs, said Fruit Growers Victoria grower services manager Michael Crisera: “In general the cost of doing business has gone up significantly. We need to be able to pass on that cost to the consumer.”
Some farmers have already ripped out trees amid fears they will not have enough workers to pick the fruit during warmer months.
Source: theage.com.au