Hard-working grey nomads have come to the rescue as uncertainty over the backpacker tax and a late harvest caused a major shortage in labour force this cherry season.
At Young in the South West Slopes region of New South Wales, Rhonda Sutherland of Lavender Hill Cherries said older caravanners and motorhomers had been a Godsend.
“Travellers talk, they spread the message via word of mouth and they pull up at our orchard and start picking,” she told the Western Magazine publication. “We have sites at the orchard for them to connect their caravans up to and they stay on the property, they get paid per kilogram for what they pick and it absolutely works for us … we had no labour shortage problems.”
Local Cherry Growers Association spokesman Scott Coupland said it was not clear how backpackers will react next year to the new rate of tax.
“Some growers offered to increase picker wages to counteract the tax,” he said. “I’m not sure how successful they were with that tactic.”
Mr Coupland said the tourist association also deserved some credit because for promoting December’s National Cherry Festival in Young and encouraging grey nomads and others to come to town.
· Have you found fruit picking jobs easier to find this year? Have you picked cherries or been to the National Cherry Festival? Comment below.
No, have not picked fruit but I am sure it will help grey nomads fuel their vehicles and/or have spare money to spend in smaller country towns.