Struggling Victorian fruit growers say review of imports and tariffs comes too late

Fruit growers in Victoria's north say a review of fruit imports and tariffs comes too late to save their orchards and their livelihoods.

Growers, who for decades have supplied fruit to the SPC Ardmona cannery, are instead asking for help to pay their debts and bulldoze their trees.

It is about two months since SPC Ardmona told Goulburn Valley fruit growers it was halving its intake of fruit this year.

The impact of that decision is still sinking in for Dominic Pannuccio and other growers who gathered for a meeting near Shepparton.

"I mean you can't blame SPC because at the end of the day, they tried," he said.

"It's just that all these imports have been coming from overseas that is just killing us so much. They've got to stop that."

Late last week the Government ordered a Productivity Commission review into processed fruit and tomato imports to decide if emergency safeguards like temporary tariffs are needed.

Peach grower Rocky Mantovani says they would not change the fact that he now has no buyer for any of his fruit.

"I've been planting to what the cannery wanted, they specified the variety. I'm just devastated to be honest," he said.

Mr Mantovani took over his peach orchard from his grandfather and was planning to pass it on to his son.

"He's finding it pretty hard. He couldn't come with me here today," he said.

"He's trying to go out and look for some sort of work."

'It's too late for us'

Ray Pool has been supplying peaches for the cannery for about 50 years.

He now has 7,000 trees he needs to rip up before the pests take hold and spread to viable plantings but he is also in debt.

"We're finished, our quota's been taken away from us," he said.

"The trees have got to come out of the ground at some stage, but there again they won't be coming out unless we get some help from somewhere because we can't afford to pull them out."

Mr Pool says the Productivity Commission inquiry would not help save his fruit trees.

"It's too late for us, that's it. We've pulled up stumps," he said.

"A good win in Tatts Lotto is about the only thing that will save us."

Counsellor Wayne Harris also attended the meeting and encouraged fruit growers struggling emotionally with the changing marketplace to seek support.

"Don't do it alone," he told the crowd.

"And for those women in the audience you probably know when the blokes aren't travelling well either, so don't be frightened to give us a call."

If you or someone you know is needs emotional support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Source: ABC News, 26 June 2013