vegetablesWA President’s Report

vegetablesWA

President’s Report

BY DAN KUZMICICH PRESIDENT, VEGETABLESWA

In the growing game we are no strangers to the constant succession of challenges. If it is not pests, it’s disease, if it’s not the weather, it’s the prices. Now, it seems that it is our workforce that is under threat.

This subject should be at the forefront of our growers’ minds, as this situation emerges as our number one issue. It looks pretty certain there will be shortages of Working Holiday Makers (WHM) in WA due to border closures. All Hort industries will be in same boat here and potentially will be competing for workers. It would be great to see a collaborative approach in navigating through this issue. With our business, I am now actively utilising Jobs in WA Food and Ag, via the Studium website, which is providing a service to match employers with willing workers. Studium is one of the State Government funded platforms, which has been specially formulated to assist industry at this time. Facebook and Gumtree are the other traditional channels we usually use to find people. This active form of searching for workers is new for us in Carnarvon, for at this time of year I usually have an abundance of backpackers dropping into the farm searching for work. Noticeably, these enquiries are few and To the good news (I guess because far between. Hort industries did identify of the COVID-19 scenario of border this as an issue earlier in the COVID-19 control), is that prices of produce have pandemic, but we were fortunate that been good, in fact exceptionally good there were backpackers still in WA — across the board. We can all appreciate now they have moved on or gone home. this type of news is excellent, as we all Growers in the south will be harder hit if this issue is not addressed urgently. If you have any concerns about your labour for the coming season, you need to be registering on the online platforms or getting in contact with vegetablesWA Labour Services Liaison Melissa Denning on 0477 477 044, as soon as possible for assistance. need to have a win from time to time. In speaking to a good cross-section of growers from our sector — they are all saying the same thing. That will always give us a pep in our step! On the local social scene, the Gascoyne Food Festival has begun. The first event was ‘Canapes on the Gascoyne’ on August 7. This was set in If you have any concerns about your labour for the coming season, contact Melissa Denning on 0477 477 044. You should be well-aware of the heart of the lush, subthe situation as vegetablesWA tropical aspect of Bentwaters have been very active in Plantation — a beautiful spot. highlighting the issue and sending out This was a stand-up cocktail style constant information via newsletters event, and hosted a swag of local to your email. vegetablesWA have had growers and residents, including our little feedback from vegetable growers Ag Minister Alannah MacTiernan. It so far; I urge you to prioritise labour was an opportunity to showcase our as a discussion item in your business local produce and enabled growers and register so we can understand your to network with the Minister in an requirements and push towards getting informal setting. It was another huge you solutions. success for our region.

3 ALL Hort industries will be competing for workers. It would be great to see a collaborative approach in navigating through this issue.

The other major event that is planned is the ‘Long Table Twilight Dinner’, which will be held on the September 11. This has been moved from a lunch to a dinner between 5pm and 9pm. Judging on the success of the Canapes evening, I am very much looking forward to attending this new-look event, for as a dinner it will be a welcome change and should add some excitement and elegance to the occasion. I look forward to sharing the success of the evening in my next report. Fall Army Worm is still relevant in the Carnarvon growing area. In chatting with Annie Van Bloomstein — officer in the DPIRD research centre — the update is that it seems the worm is loving Carnarvon corn. Traps have been placed in both the town’s production and residential areas to give an idea of the incursion data. So far, the trapping system data shows that this pest is comfortable around corn and not venturing on to any other crops for now. It also seems that numbers to have more news on this situation in are fluctuating slightly since the worm my next report. first came to town. It is a worry because this pest is doing some serious damage to corn crops and quickly. It will be interesting to see the next crop target once the corn harvest is over. In finishing, I have to say the weather up here in the North is fantastic. There has been a little bit of rain (not too much), a little wind, and slightly cool in the mornings. Great for growing and The Queensland fruit fly (Qfly) is still visiting. You cannot help but notice the a problem in Perth’s amount of people travelling in Western suburbs. DPIRD caravans everywhere — it’s have contained this pest and are doing their very The Queensland fruit fly great to see them enjoying the weather and is great for best to eradicate it, with a substantial program in place to prevent the spread of this pest. This includes surveillance and baiting activities, and establishment of a Quarantine Area. Residents and is still a problem in Perth’s Western suburbs. our economy in the region! Until we meet again, stay safe and continued luck for the season — may the upward trend in prices continue! businesses within the Quarantine Area MUST comply with host fruit movement MORE INFORMATION and management requirements. I believe the residents in this Quarantine Contact Dan Kuzmicich on 0408 910 761 damir.kuzmicich@bigpond.com or Area do have a huge part to play in protecting the Horticultural Industry, as we do not want this pest spreading into our production areas as it will certainly affect our market access status. I hope

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