Strawberry growers appeal for support through needle ‘terrorism’ scare
WITH strawberry picking season starting soon, anxious Yarra Valley growers are begging consumers to stick by them as the fallout from fruit “terrorism” continues interstate.
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WITH strawberry picking season starting soon, anxious Victorian growers are begging consumers to stick by them as the fallout from fruit “terrorism” continues interstate.
With picking season starting in October, strawberry farmers are on tenterhooks hoping investigators find those responsible for the needle contamination,
They’re asking people to keep buying the produce, and cut up strawberries before eating.
The appeal came as State Opposition Leader Matthew Guy called for urgent bipartisan support and a mandatory three-year jail sentence for anyone caught contaminating or interfering with food.
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Tonnes of strawberries are being dumped or going to waste around the country, and supermarkets have pulled brands from the shelves in fear the fruit has been tampered with.
Strawberries Australia president John Calle, who works in the Yarra Valley, said what has been happening in other states was a “criminal act” and had hurt growers and the industry.
“It’s now time to get on with the job and fix up the hole that’s been made by people doing this to the industry,” Mr Calle said.
“Strawberries are so easy to eat and absolutely delicious. Just cut them up before eating.”
Victorian Strawberry Industry Development Committee southern states officer Angela Atkinson, based in Wandin, said strawberry growers had good quality safety and food standards.
“This has taken everyone by surprise because you cannot plan for malicious sabotage,” Ms Atkinson said.
She said some growers had metal detectors in their production lines.
Ms Atkinson said most of the state’s strawberry growers were in the Yarra Ranges, and the industry had been thriving since the late 1880s.
“(It’s a) $60 to $70 million industry,” she said.
“We’re concerned about copycat behaviour.
“We’re hoping to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible, — our season starts early to mid October — so we can assure consumers Victorian strawberries are great to eat.”
She said the scare could have a significant impact on Victoria’s horticultural industry.
Coldstream strawberry grower Dominic Cellante slammed the scare as a form of terrorism.
“We don’t need this. We need the consumers to have confidence in the product they buy,” Mr Cellante said.
“We’re really wanting to see authorities get to the bottom of this.”
Both the Queensland and West Australian governments are offering $100,000 reward for information on the strawberry tampering epidemic, while NSW police are now investigating the discovery of needles in an apple and a banana.
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