1000-plus jobs across the region
LOCKYER Valley farmers remain desperate for workers to fill more than 1000 roles.
The closure of international and state borders has dried up the seasonal worker pool, leaving Queenslanders to pick up the slack.
The shortfall is so significant three planes of workers arrived from overseas to work on local farms since March, with one more expected to land this month.
LOCKYER Valley farmers remain desperate for workers to fill more than 1000 roles.
The closure of international and state borders has dried up the seasonal worker pool, leaving Queenslanders to pick up the slack.
Fifth-generation onion grower Joseph Kluck is among countless Lockyer Valley farmers on the hunt for people willing and able to pick and pack produce.
The 27-year-old and his family plan to start picking onions at their 50 hectare farm from next week until mid-December, and need as many people on deck as possible to see the season through.
“If I had 50 to 100 people, I would be happy,” Mr Kluck said.
“Last year, we were probably short 20 people a day while we were picking onions in the paddock.”
He said his brother would need at least 12 people to work with him in the shed over the next four months. Currently, he has between five and eight.
“I think there’s going to be a shortage,” Mr Kluck said.
“Not many people want to (cut and pack onions), but there’s good money to be made if you work hard.”
He said his farm offered flexible working hours with “no strings attached”, so workers from Ipswich, Brisbane, and other major cities could come and go as they pleased.
The amount they are paid will depend on how many bins worth of produce they pick, not on the hours they spend working.
Member for Lockyer Jim McDonald said the shortfall in workers was so significant three planes of workers had arrived from overseas to work on local farms since March, with one more expected to land this month.
He estimated the total number of seasonal workers to arrive in Lockyer Valley through the Australian government’s seasonal worker program would be 540 after the fourth plane lands, making up for less than half of the projected shortfall of 1300.
“(One) of our farmers … is ploughing in $60,000 worth of crop every day,” Mr McDonald said.
“That’s heartbreaking for them.”
Mr McDonald said people who were out of work ought to consider spending some time at Lockyer Valley farms, where there is “really good work” for above-award wages.
To apply for a job at Kluck Farms, email admin@kluckfarms.com. For information about other farm jobs available at Lockyer Valley, contact BEST Employment Gatton on 07 5468 0300.