The sunny outlook for Victorian summer stone fruits

After years of bad weather and limited labour, the outlook for southern stone fruit harvest is looking sunny.

Labour issues that have dogged the horticulture industry in recent years appear to have eased, with the outlook for summer fruit harvest looking favourable.

Fruit Growers Victoria grower services manager Michael Crisera said the labour market appeared to be in good shape for orchards in the throes of summer harvest.

“Not sure if there’s as many backpackers in the field picking fruit, but a lot are in packing sheds now as opposed to the picking bins. Some of the larger corporations are using the PALM scheme, which has taken the pressure off,” he said.

Data showed of the 31,230 PALM scheme workers in Australia in September, 53 per cent were employed in agriculture.

“People are able to get the labour to get the fruit off, and the weather has definitely been more favourable for eating fruit this year, the quality consumers will be getting should be good,” Mr Crisera said.

“We’re coming off the back of three years, so the earlier stone fruit can be on smaller side, but that’ll change closer to Christmas.”

Second-generation stone fruit grower Daniel Kezerle is in the throes of apricot harvest at Tatura, before turning his attention to peaches in the coming weeks.

Daniel Kezerle Its the beginning of summer fruit harvest. Picture: Zoe Phillips

He said labour wouldn’t be an issue this season, with plenty of people still using PALM scheme workers which is “easing the pressure”.

“Harvest seems to be going well, touch wood. We had a bit of hail over the weekend but everything is looking good,” Mr Kezerle said.

“For us, it seems to be OK but it’s still early days, and anything can happen. We’ve been wiped with hail in recent years. Now we’re just hoping the pear price continues.”

Mr Kezerle grows peaches, pears, apples, nectarines, cherries and apricots, and said his cherry crop came on about two weeks early this season.