A plane load of South Pacific fruit pickers has arrived in the Top End to harvest mangoes after the COVID-19 crisis stopped many seasonal workers travelling.

September 3, 2020

The Northern Territory’s mango growers’ call for fruit pickers has been answered, with more than 160 workers flying from Vanuatu to help with the Top End harvest.

Coronavirus health restrictions and closed borders have stopped many seasonal workers travelling to the NT, leaving growers desperately short of labour to pick their mangoes.

The workers will complete 14-days’ mandatory quarantine at an unused mining camp, near Darwin, before heading to farms to start work.

“Australian farmers have had a challenging year, with COVID-19 restrictions placing unprecedented pressure on the supply of workers,” Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said on Thursday.

“This group of workers will help meet critical workforce shortages in the Northern Territory’s mango industry over the coming months.”

Mangoes are a significant economic driver for many Territory communities, producing almost half the national crop.

About 33,000 tonnes of fruit worth over $100 million was picked in 2018-19.

NT Farmers’ Association chief executive Paul Burke says the workers will help fresh NT produce get to southern consumers.

“These workers are saving the industry by travelling to the Territory and harvesting our valuable produce,” he said.

The workers, who are part of a federal government labour mobility scheme trial, are the first South Pacific workers to arrive in Australia since the nation’s borders closed on March 20.

The program will attempt to alleviate persistent workforce shortages in critical sectors of the economy, such as agriculture.

It is also intended to boost the economies of countries in the South Pacific that are also facing significant economic disruption due to COVID-19.