Farm roles soon ripe for the picking
FAR Northern residents looking for work will be able to take advantage of a “dramatic rise” in job openings as tropical crops come into season.
Backpackers and Seasonal Worker Program holders make up a large portion of the region’s workforce for seasonal crops like lychees, mangoes and avocados.
But with international flights grounded and many countries in lockdown due to COVID-19, the industry is expected to be significantly short of workers.
As a result, the door will be wide open for people in Cairns and other communities, who may have lost their jobs in recent months, to get back into the workforce.
FNQ Growers chairman Joe Moro said encouraging Aussie workers to take up seasonal farm jobs might be the key in helping growers get through their season.
“The way the season is shaping up it looks like the tropical fruit might come in a little bit earlier than last year,” he said.
“So demand for jobs will start even towards the end of October to ramp up on the Tablelands.
“We’ve still got bananas, we’ve still got papaya and the traditional crops that are going as well, so there will be demand for labour. I’m sure a lot of
Aussies will take those jobs up, but because of the nature of the work and where it is, it may not be able to be taken by all Aussies.
“Generally people on working visas are more flexible and able to get out in regional parts of Australia that are a bit more isolated.”
Marcello Avolio of Gorge Creek Orchards said he was concerned about the potential of a labour shortage.
“It’s a concern at the moment, I think about it every day,” he said.
“If you look at what’s happening now, a lot of the backpackers have gone home.
“It’s also a concern, especially if JobSeeker hangs around, because why should the locals work?”
Mr Avolio said it was too far and not economically worth it for people to travel from the cities.