The company announced today that beetroot production will now be handled by its New Zealand plant at a cost of 160 jobs at its Northgate cannery, and leaving nine growers in the Lockyer Valley, west of Brisbane, without their main source of income.
Peak horticulture organisation Growcom has called the decision a "devastating blow" for growers, especially after the floods earlier this year.
Some of the growers have been associated with Golden Circle for about 50 years and Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone said it adds to the difficulties the farmers have faced this year.
"Clearly, this is a business decision which Golden Circle has had to make, the same as a grower would on their farm, but it will be sad to see the end of beetroot production in Queensland: an iconic product and an industry worth around $10 million a year," he said.
Mr Livingstone said they still had not heard about what practical help Golden Circle would offer farmers in the region and he hoped the company would treat growers with the same integrity it had in the past.
The company has assured growers it will process the beetroot from the current growing season, which is due to end in November.
Meanwhile, the peak national body for vegetable and potato growers, Ausveg, also expressed disappointment at the decision.
Peak horticulture organisation Growcom has called the decision a "devastating blow" for growers, especially after the floods earlier this year.
Some of the growers have been associated with Golden Circle for about 50 years and Growcom CEO Alex Livingstone said it adds to the difficulties the farmers have faced this year.
"Clearly, this is a business decision which Golden Circle has had to make, the same as a grower would on their farm, but it will be sad to see the end of beetroot production in Queensland: an iconic product and an industry worth around $10 million a year," he said.
Mr Livingstone said they still had not heard about what practical help Golden Circle would offer farmers in the region and he hoped the company would treat growers with the same integrity it had in the past.
The company has assured growers it will process the beetroot from the current growing season, which is due to end in November.
Meanwhile, the peak national body for vegetable and potato growers, Ausveg, also expressed disappointment at the decision.
0 comments:
Post a Comment