Imported Produce Shelves Australian Farmers

 

This story by Karen Collier appears in today's (11th May 2010) Sun Herald.

Local Produce: Farmers Fear Imports Will Hurt Them. Picture: AP, Source: AAP.

IMPORTED fruit and vegetables are hitting Australian shelves in record amounts, sparking fears of lost jobs and inferior quality.

One-third of frozen and tinned produce we consume this year will come from overseas, mainly New Zealand, the United States and China, a report reveals.

Almost half of all processed seafood, including cooked prawns and frozen fillets, is tipped to be foreign. Key suppliers are Thailand, Vietnam, China and New Zealand.

AUSBUY chief Lynne Wilkinson warned cheap overseas labour, confusing labels, unfair free-trade deals and dumped cut-price products were crucifying farmers and exposing shoppers to potential health scares.

Compulsory country-of-origin labels were needed to let consumers know exactly where food was grown, she said.

"Our farmers have the world's strictest standards for a clean, green growing environment. "At the moment you could have Chinese food processed in New Zealand, and all the consumer is told is that it is made in New Zealand" Ms Wilkinson said.

A report by industry researcher IBIS World forecasts food imports to climb from $5.5 billion to $6.3 billion a year by 2015.

Fruit, vegetables and wine have been the main growth areas.

IBIS World Australia general manager Robert Bryant said demand for greater variety and the high Aussie dollar had fuelled an appetite for imports.

US giant Simplot, behind the Birds Eye and You'll Love Coles ranges, says it will soon be the only company left manufacturing Australian-grown frozen vegetables other than potatoes, with McCain to pull out of Tasmania.

Birds Eye managing director Terry O'Brien said a recent Newspoll survey showed most Australians wanted to buy local frozen vegies.

The brand has released a new logo to make it clear when processed vegetables are home grown.

Victorian Farmers Federation president Andrew Broad said the nation's horticulture industry was declining, however, two-thirds of overall farm production was exported.

"We welcome access to the world market. The question is whether we are competing in a level environment," he said.

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