Campaign launched to encourage consumers to eat hailstorm-damaged fruit and support SA farmers

SOUTH Australian shoppers are being encouraged to eat imperfect fruit and overlook small hail marks to support farmers who are facing losses of $32 million in sales.

Jody Schultz’s entire orchard was impacted by the hailstorm but they managed to salvage some blocks. Picture MATT TURNER.

SOUTH Australian shoppers are being encouraged to eat imperfect fruit and overlook small hail marks to support farmers who are facing losses of $32 million in sales.

The Hailstorm Heroes campaign launches today in supermarkets and greengrocers to support the state’s 60 pear and apple growers affected by a severe hailstorm in October.

The growers have worked to save fruit with only a few superficial marks after the destructive hailstorm wiped out a quarter of the state’s crop – about 9000 tonnes.

South Australian Apple and Pear Growers Association chief executive Susie Green said no grower from the Adelaide Hills or South-East escaped unscathed.

“Around 85-90 per cent of South Australia’s apples and pears are grown in the Adelaide Hills and almost all orchards sustained some losses during the widespread storm,” Ms Green said.

“There were also some losses in the South-East.

“This hailstorm was unprecedented, in recent memory, for our industry

“We’ve had hailstorms before but they’ve never been this widespread.”

Ms Green said growers at this stage were estimated to have losses of more than $32 million in fruit sales and downgrading of fruit, due to the storm damage.

“We hope by educating shoppers about our Hailstorm Heroes, and encouraging people to buy the fruit, it will help to salvage some returns for growers and also help reduce food waste,” she said.

“Consumers tend to be fairly selective and shop with their eyes, so this is really about raising awareness that even though there’s a small mark on the outside, it is perfectly good on the inside.”

Fifth-generation apple and pear grower Brett James said his Kersbrook orchard was hit three times by small hail, marking the skin of small fruit starting to grow.

“We hope South Australians will look past the spots and support us by eating Hailstorm Hero apples and pears because it will make a huge difference,” Mr James said.

“Everyone is facing losses this year so every little bit helps, not only for growers but also for the towns in growing regions.”

Fourth-generation apple grower Jody Schultz said the storm was the worst he had experienced in his 20 years of managing his Forest Range family property.

“The campaign really sums up that we’re relying on trying to sell some or all of our fruit, because without this campaign we were all faced with letting our crops fall on the ground,” Mr Schutlz said. “It would’ve been a massive cost.”

The Hailstorm Heroes campaign was being delivered by Hort Innovation using apple and pear marketing levies, with help from the association, PIRSA and Brand SA.

Hailstorm Hero apple and pear packs can be bought from Coles, Foodland, IGA, Aldi and independent grocers, while they will be sold as part of an odd-bunch range at Woolworths.

Royal Gala apples and Williams pears will be the first to hit the shelves, followed by popular varieties such as Pink Lady and Granny Smith apples and Packham pears in late autumn.

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