Scott Morrison visits Queensland to address strawberry crisis

TAMPER-PROOF strawberry punnets will be considered as the Prime Minister makes a mercy dash to the Sunshine Coast today. His visit comes as a Queensland MP suggests something other than sabotage might be at play in the fruit crisis.

TAMPER-PROOF strawberry punnets will be considered as Prime Minister Scott Morrison makes a mercy dash to the Sunshine Coast today.

Mr Morrison will announce $350,000 for Strawberries Australia to regain and retain market share, with the funding likely to help pay for the consideration of packaging options such as tamper-proof containers, a domestic and international marketing campaign and training for growers.

It comes as Fisher MP Andrew Wallace claimed even though it was clear some sabotage was at play, reusable plastic bags could also be to blame.

Details will be finalised in consultation with industry, but it is understood many growers are also considering – or have installed – metal detectors.

The $350,000 is part of the $1 million package Mr Morrison announced last week.

Mr Morrison said he wanted to get growers back on their feet and strawberries back into fridges.

“As a Government we can pull every lever to crack down on the idiots hurting our farmers and give farmers new tools and protections, but we need Australians to back the strawberry industry too,” he said.

Mr Wallace suggested the sabotage could be blamed on reusable shopping bags.

“There have been instances of supermarket checkout staff finding all manner of things at the bottom of these bags,” he said.

“I think we need to have a conversation about encouraging people to leave their shopping bags for food items only and not for carrying anything else.”

“One strawberry grower I know has been advised that a foreign object was found by a consumer at the bottom of one of their punnets.

“If you look closely at a strawberry punnet, you will find holes at the bottom and top which could allow the introduction of such foreign matter.”