Thirsty: Chinese Demand for Australian Wine Continues to Rise
While still only in its infancy, Australia’s relationship with Chinese wine drinkers has proved to be a very successful venture. Only eight years ago, China represented just 10% of Australian wine exports, and strong recent growth and continuing demand has led forecasters to predict a very positive outlook for the future of this sector. According […]
Australian Farm Production Strong Despite Reduced Grain Yields
Widespread drought and patches of frost have resulted in a significant reduction to Australia’s grain harvest, with this year’s national wheat crop now expected to weigh in at 16.6 million tonnes, down by 11% and the smallest since 2008 (13.6 million tonnes). In New South Wales, a state hit particularly hard by unfavourable growing conditions, […]
Where the Bloody Hell Are You? Northern Territory Cattle Stations Sing Out for Staff
A shortage of skilled and unskilled labour has led to many Northern Territory Station owners calling 2018 the toughest year to find staff. Both family-owned stations and corporate pastoral companies are facing unprecedented staff shortages from entry level roles through to more skilled positions such as livestock and station management positions. While candidates for entry […]
Keeping It Casual: Navigating the Gauntlet of Casual Employment
While the use of casual labour is a common way of managing peak workloads in many agricultural industries, uncertainty around what constitutes ‘casual’ poses a significant risk to employers. In 2016, more than 2.5 million employees were engaged on a casual work basis, comprising almost 25% of the national labour force. While casual workers are […]
Hands Off: Industry Invests Millions to Stop Consumers Squeezing Avocados
Every year, millions of innocent avocados are subjected to the worst kind of abuse. Sitting quietly on the supermarket shelf, they are prodded, squeezed and harassed by consumers looking for a ‘perfectly’ ripe avo. This man-handling causes untold physical damage to the beloved fruit, with flesh bruising more likely as the fruit ripens. One survey […]
Backpacker Visa Changes an Improvement for Regional Employers, but not a Complete Solution.
Changes to the Working Holiday Maker visa program will make employing seasonal staff easier for Australian employers but are not the complete solution the industry has been seeking, according to industry lobby groups. Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the changes earlier this month but cautioned that engaging Australian workers was still a primary focus for […]
Dry Conditions Loom Over Australian Agriculture
The Big Dry continues to grip many parts of Australia in drought, despite some areas having received encouraging recent rains. October rains across northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland came mostly from thunderstorms, providing only patchy coverage. “To give one example, Dubbo, which has had a direct hit from a couple of thunderstorms, has […]