SPC Ardmona In Crisis.
An interview with Kyabram orchardist, Joe Corso, is one of many Goulbourn Valley growers who’s future lies in the hands of SPC Ardmona and the Australian Government.
Joe Corso, father to three, is currently searching for answers. He wants to know what has happened to SPC Ardmona, and what's being done to solve the issues. The daunting future is fast approaching, and like hundereds of other orchardists, Joe is weighing up his options, and deciding what comes next.
Tell me about your orchard. What fruit do you produce on it, how big is it?
‘My orchard is sixty acres, on which we produce pears, apricots, apples, and plums. It has been the family business for forty years now. It was passed down to me from my father. My father brought the property forty years ago, and in that time he and I worked together for thirty of those years, until his passing when I completely took over. I know run the orchard by myself.’
‘Our season starts in December, starting with apricots, and finishing with apples in late April. We pack fruit which has been stored in the cool rooms till mid-July. In the season we probably employ up to twenty to thirty people at various times.’
What actions have recently been implemented regarding the SPC Ardmona fruit intake cut?
‘Just recently two Field Officers from SPC Ardmona visited to inform me that they would no longer be taking pears from C & G Corso and Sons for canning. After 35 years of providing the canary with pears they have turned their backs on us. This news came as a devastating loss. It definitely was an extremely difficult thing to process.’
If so, what fruit is SPC Ardmona continuing to take from your produce?
‘At this current time SPC are continuing to take apricots, plums, and apples for next year; beyond that nobody knows what the future holds. They possibly may take pears for juice, but at a ridiculously low rate which make you wonder if it is worth the effort.’
How will the cuts affect your lifestyle?
‘These cut are already having a dramatic effect on my lifestyle. There is an overwhelming amount of stress at the moment, wondering how I’m am going to sell all my pears, which makes up around 20% of the orchard, or if I am going to pull out all the pear trees which my family worked so tirelessly, hard to grow. Each year we pick about four hundred and fifty bins of William pears, and like many other orchardists who are in the same boat as myself, it is a wonder where all these pears are going to go.’
How will/are the cuts impacting you financially?
‘The last three years the canary have harshly been cutting the intake of William pears, until now when they are no longer taking any more, the prices and rates have been brutal over the last three years. With the Australian dollar being so high it extremely hard to export pears, so the local markets have been flooded with this particular variety of pear. Up until 3 years ago the canary was taking 40,000 tonnes of William pears and over the amount has been decreasing. Today the canary takes only 19,000 tonnes which is the main reason for the price being so shockingly bad.’
Are you familiar with what other orchardists are experiencing?
‘Yes, there are only about a dozen orchardists remaining in Kyabram, and most of them are making the tough decision of what to do next. Do you pull trees out or to keep fighting? Either way it is a gamble. All of us are feeling the stress and pressure of deciding what comes next.’
What are your plans for the future?
‘At the moment I am weighing up my options, I will see the season through, the gather my family to discuss what is the best way to go. I don’t want to pull trees out, but at the moment keeping the trees is losing me more and more money each year. Although I enjoy working in the fruit industry, and because it ultimately the family business, I would love to keep it running but I am unsure and conflicted at the moment. My last option would be to try and sell the orchard which would be extremely hard for someone to come and buy an orchard knowing how difficult the fruit industry is right now.’
What do plan to do with the remaining fruit, and fruit trees?
‘With the other fruit I hope to continue maintaining them, and looking after the so they keep producing fruit for the canary and markets. Hopefully the prices I get for that fruit is enough to make a living for myself and my family.’