The Lockyer agricultural industry will be in jeopardy if more seasonal workers aren’t secured and quarantined at Grantham

The 160 overseas workers who are quaranting in Grantham are just a fraction of the workforce set to arrive on Australian shores in the coming months to help with severe labour shortage.

Grantham main street. Photo: Ali Kuchel

THE 160 seasonal workers currently quaranting at the Grantham Farmworkers Lodge are just a fraction of the foreign workforce that will arrive in the country from low-risk COVID countries to help the severe labour shortage.

A Department of Agriculture and Fisheries spokesman said the government had worked closely with the agriculture industry to ensure growers could identify seasonal workforce solutions.

The latest arrivals to the Grantham facility are part of the Pacific Labour Scheme/Seasonal Worker program, which has successfully brought 1643 overseas workers from Pacific Nations.

The workers have come from nations with the lowest risk of coronavirus transmissions to support essential farm work, such as harvesting in Queensland.

The spokesman said more arrivals are planned.

Grantham Farm Worker's Lodge

“The use of on-farm quarantine facilities for the majority of these workers has proven to be a successful venture by Queensland,” the spokesman said.

“DAF works closely with relevant government agencies, industry and approved employers to identify facilities that meet the guidelines for bringing Pacific Island seasonal workers and ensure community safety as a priority.”

Grantham farmer Derek Schultz started picking cauliflower at his farm today.

Although in the early stages of harvest, Mr Schultz said the agricultural sector would be crucified if something wasn’t done to source people that wanted to work on farm.

“These overseas workers, they want to work, they want to be out on the farm,” Mr Schultz said.

“Regardless if it’s overseas workers or locals, we need workers and we aren’t getting the backpackers through.

“The backpackers are the Lockyer Valley’s backbone.”

Vegetable grower Anthony Staatz, of Koala Farms, Lake Clarendon. PHOTO: Ali Kuchel

If local farmers were given the option to take on quarantined workers from Grantham, they would take them, Anthony Staatz says.

The Lake Clarendon lettuce farmer said as long as processes were in place to keep the community safe, the additional workers were welcome.

“It’s going to be quite a critical issue in the Valley if something doesn’t change,” Mr Staatz said.

“We aren’t tracking too bad because we don’t stop harvesting, but I have heard stories from other local farms that are down at least 100 workers.”

He said the shortage of international workers would force growers to increase wages for workers.

“No backpacker will be underpaid in the Lockyer Valley anymore that’s for sure,” Mr Staatz said.

“If you’re only offering award wages, I doubt you’d get any workers.”