This year’s spring rains have been negatively affecting cherries across Victoria, splitting their skins.
Grower Vince Vigliaturo works six hectares of cherries around Ardmona. He said: “I’ve been growing cherries 20 years and this is the worst rain event I’ve seen. Rain has a high nitrate content and the cherries grow so quickly the skin can’t keep up and they split.”
Aside from this, the current fruit picker shortage is also complicating matters. “All the good pickers are in the cemetery. We’re had a few come out to have a go and make a bit of money but really we’re relying on Asian and PNG contractors,” Vigliaturo said. “It’s difficult without the backpackers, and farmers have to compete against each other for them.”
According to Vigliaturo, he left at least two hectares of his own orchard unpicked.
