Truffle Discovery Centre, Symphony Hill Wines lose out on revenue after devastating agriculture event cancellations

The last-minute cancellation of major agricultural events due to lockdown has left many Granite Belt producers without much-needed revenue, with calls for the community to rally behind them and support the region’s food and wine sector by buying locally.

Truffle Discovery Centre Stanthorpe stall at one of the State’s major food and wine festivals. Photo: Contributed

Granite Belt producers are devastated after the last-minute cancellation of two major agricultural festivals left them with excessive produce, no buyers and zero profitability options.

The Queensland Farmers’ Federation called on the community to rally behind the region’s food producers by shopping and visiting locally to support the sector after major agricultural events were cancelled due to the lockdown.

Last weekend’s Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival was cancelled, as was the Ekka scheduled for this Saturday.

A number of Southern Downs producers and wineries including the Truffle Discovery Centre and Symphony Hill Wines were expected to attend these events.

The Truffle Discovery Centre stall was set-up at the festival before it was cancelled just 10 minutes after opening.

Owner Matthew Hibberd said the business lost tens of thousands of dollars in revenue and publicity opportunities.

“It was really demoralising to set up so much and then be told it’s cancelled. It’s a significant setback that won’t break us but it definitely hurts,” he said.

Matthew Hibberd’s Truffle Discovery Centre stall at the Moreton Bay Food and Wine Festival was cancelled just minutes after opening. Photo: Contributed

Mr Hibberd said the number of festival and events cancelled over the past year has had a significant impact on his business.

“We have a very special niche as we are the only Queensland-based truffle company with a wide range of truffles and without people seeing us and knowing who we are there is significant negative flow-on effects.”

Symphony Hill Wines owner Ewen Macpherson said he was expecting a huge weekend of sales and great promotion for the brand at the food and wine festival.

“It was very disappointing, I was quite gutted at the time. The downside is the loss of income as significant sales are no longer going to happen,” he said.

“In the short-term it is a serious loss of revenue but we just have to accept it.”

Ewen Macpherson from Symphony Hill Wines was gutted at the cancellation of the recent festival. Photographer: Liam Kidston / NCA staff photographer

QFF CEO Dr Georgina Davis said after this latest blow for the region’s producers, there’s never been a better time to stand with the farming community.

“By supporting farmers with their wallets and their feet, consumers will continue to play an active role in helping to ensure a bright future for (the region’s) agriculture,” she said.

Both Mr Hibberd and Mr Macpherson agreed, encouraging locals to shop for food and wine locally.

“In a regional town, all revenue spent locally helps everyone as that money goes back into the region,” Mr Hibberd said.

“I think it’s essential to buy locally, the producers selling the food and wine are supporting local families through employment, so when anyone buys locally it has huge benefits locally too,” Mr Macpherson said.