Tribute Peter MacIntosh

Dried Fruits Australia has paid tribute to a long-time dried fruit grower and leader in the industry.

Robinvale dried fruit grower and former Australian Dried Fruits Association (ADFA) chair Peter MacIntosh passed away in October last year. The son of soldier settler in Robinvale, Victoria, Peter had a long involvement in the industry, and was a grower member of the ADFA board in 1981, before taking over as ADFA chairman in 1992.

Peter grew dried grapes on his family property in Robinvale and was the chairman of the Robinvale Branch of the ADFA.

He made a significant contribution to both the dried grape industry, as well as the wider horticulture industry, also serving as a member of the advisory committee of the Sunraysia Horticultural Research Institute, lrymple, chair of the ADFA Production Problems Committee, member of the Dried Fruits Research Committee, director of the Dried Fruits Stabilisation Committee Ltd, member of the Murray Industries Development Association Lt., and member of the Management Committee for Phylloxera Research of Victoria. He was also a member of the Robinvale Water Advisory Board. In an industry newsletter in 1992, Peter spoke of his sense of pride in being elected chairman of the ADFA in a time when the industry faced many challenges. “I have a strong fundamental belief that the greatest strength our industry has is its people. The ability to work hard, take risks, put up with unpredictable weather and outcomes breeds a special race,” Peter wrote in his welcome address as chairman.

“We all have to look at our own abilities, our own strengths and weaknesses and make our own decisions about our ability to survive in this tough environment. “I look forward to the challenge of serving you as chairman, and trust that we can adapt to changed circumstances and emerge from it a stronger, vital, and profitable industry prepared to make its contribution to our towns, our regions, and our country.” Peter retired from the chair position in 1998, with Graham Robertson chair from 1998-2002, before Peter Jones took on the position in 2002. Peter Jones has provided a tribute and reflection on Peter MacIntosh’s contribution to the industry.

Great leader stands tall

Peter MacIntosh was chairman of the ADFA in the 1990s. A dried fruit grower and son of a soldier settler in Robinvale, Victoria. Peter was elected to the board of management as member and subsequently chairman when the dried fruit industry was at its biggest in production of 60-90,000 tonnes annually. However, during Peter’s time at the head of the industry, political changes and calls by governments to a ”free trade” Australia policy saw great unwinding of the powers used by industry to stay united. Single price for Australian fruit set by ADFA for domestic and export sale was to be abolished, which meant a cut price war and ultimately lower returns to the growers and imports of fruit from low cost overseas countries would not be limited by the government. Statutory dried fruits boards in all states were to be dismantled.

The ADFA, as members of the National Farmers’ Federation, was well represented by Peter as he used this forum to get the attention of politicians and fellow NFF members on the devastating results to industries if the dry economists had their way in Canberra. Peter as chairman saw this “free trade” threat was real and was steamrolling its way through the economy and, at that point, the ADFA sought to de-regulate the industry on our terms, not pushed by the government bureaucrats. Pressure was also building from the wine industry’s expansion plans in the mid 1990s that offered short term profits over dried fruit. After an independent report to the BOM, Peter faced grower meetings all over Australia to inform and explain the future without Government supports. Some meetings were hostile to the news but most growers thought deeply on the issue. Peter stood tall through it all. The industry did vote to deregulate. Peter was a great leader for his community in Robinvale and for the ADFA with many years of service. v

Peter Jones ADFA chairman, 2002-2009

Image: Peter MacIntosh from his appointment to the chair of the Australian Dried Fruits Association in 1992.