PROFILE
Profile: Barry Pedersen
Barry Pedersen was described as a “newcomer to the industry” in a Vine magazine grower profile in 2009. He had been on his Paringi property, Windtan, since 1991, originally a citrus property that he redeveloped with his father.
Prior to that I was a boilermaker by
More than 13 years later, after being on the farm for 30-odd years, he is recognisably a respected industry member and advocate, certainly a “newcomer” no more – all just in time to hang up the boots.
had that property for about five years.
As he looks forward to sitting on the back porch of his river vista property, spending time with his wife and animals, Barry reflects on his time in the industry… How did you get into the table grape industry? Thirty-one years I’ve been on the farm. We bought the property originally as a lifestyle venture. It was all citrus when we first came here. In Paringi here, we saw the neighbours all had table grapes, and we saw the benefits of the table grape industry. Over the last 31 years we’ve converted the property – several times – to table grapes and changed the varieties, and the majority
trade. I went back to school in year 11 and 12 and then studied a degree in business management. While I was at university in Adelaide I bought a dried fruit property in Irymple and converted that to wine grapes – chardonnay – and I sold out when it was at its peak and that gave me enough money to venture into the farm here. The property is 108 acres. What’s been the highlight of your career? Being involved with the ATGA. I’ve done a lot of travelling overseas through the ATGA, and developing a lot of export markets opens your eye up to the world itself. That’s been my great love of the industry. What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced? Growing table grapes with the weather is a very challenging exercise to undertake. The weather can destroy you because it’s such a perishable product. Lately, though, it’s been labour. Sourcing labour and being
of the property is now Sun World
able to get the people to do the job is
varieties.
diabolical these days.
38 VINE MAGAZINE
Now you’ve decided to leave the industry. Tell us about that. I turned 59 this year. I have more than enough money to retire from the industry, from table grapes, so it’s time to enjoy it! What’s been one of the more memorable moments? Not necessarily on the farm, but travels overseas. Seeing all the different markets and meeting the different cultures of people – that’s been the highlight of enjoying the industry. What advice would you give to young growers or younger people looking to come into the industry? Build slowly, don’t feel the need to be the biggest or flashiest from word go. The industry will still have challenging times for the next 2-3 years. The world economy will pick up, the markets will improve, everything does a turnaround. The world demands our grapes from Australia and that’s not going to change. Anything final to add? I’ve been in the industry for years now; it’s always been a prosperous industry. But now that export has taken off the way it has, for the people who plant the right varieties and don’t overcapitalise too quickly, they’ll have a very prosperous future!
