Regional Achievement Awards: Cutri Fruit in the running

FARMING and education go hand-in-hand, certainly as far as fruit grower Gaethan Cutri is concerned.

Top pick: Gaethan Cutri checks peaches at Cutri Fruit, which is in the running for an achievers award. Picture: Zoe Phillips

FARMING and education go hand-in-hand, certainly as far as fruit grower Gaethan Cutri is concerned.

The owner of Cutri Fruit in Woorinen, near Swan Hill, opens the farm up to school trips and donates fruit to students that would otherwise be rejected by consumers.

“It is heartbreaking to us to witness the wastage that exists within the fresh produce industry,” he said. “The demands of the consumers continue to increase globally, and the specifications of what is deemed acceptable by the end-consumer means we have a lot of fruit that just goes to waste.

“Rather than see the fruit be used for compost, we thought we’d offer it to the local schools for free. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the eating quality of the fruit. It may just be smaller in size than the markets require.”

With this and other initiatives the company has been nominated in the Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards. Nominations close July 12.

Cutri Fruit is in the running for the Prime Super Agricultural Innovation Award.

The awards recognise valuable work in regional Victorian communities. This year, there are $20,000 in prizes across 10 categories: Regional Development Victorian Business Achievement; Regional Development Victoria Leadership and Innovation; Prime Super Employer Excellence in Aged Care; Live Activities Clubs Victoria and Henry Carus and Associates Senior Achievement; Ricoh Australia Customer Service; Parks Victoria Environmental Sustainability; South West TAFE and Deakin University South West Regional Achiever; Prime Super Agricultural Innovation; Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Diversity and Inclusion; and WorkSafe Victoria Regional Safety Award.

• For more details visit awardsaustralia.com