Australian farmers facing 'acute labour issues'

Details

Created on Wednesday, 04 January 2012 14:27

Written by Editorial staff

Local agriculture businesses have been having trouble finding valuable staff for a number of years, but with the increase in mining activity across the country, some say that the situation has been made almost unworkable.

With better wages on offer, experienced employees and educated offspring have left the land to make their money in the resource sector.

One sugar cane farmer from Farleigh in Queensland has said that, while some workers have come back from these high-paying roles to take their place on the property, it has been a small percentage.

78-year-old Bill Benson told the Daily Mercury on January 4 that his children are not in a suitable position to help their father run the property, having moved away and started careers of their own.

"They are all educated and have other jobs," said Benson.

A similar story was reported by Narrabri pig farmer Mal Gett, who said that he had suffered considerable difficulties in getting reliable staff members from the local labour pool.

Gett told The Australian on January 3 that he had once hired and fired two workers on the same afternoon - finding that they were highly inattentive, forgetful and lacking in discipline.

"It's in the attitude, the willingness, the conscientiousness and the effort that they put into the job ...  it's very hard to find Australian staff who are like that and prepared to work on pig farms at the moment," said Gett.

He explained that he was tired of failing to find quality agricultural workers locally and decided to investigate the opportunities available through immigration agents.

The piggery - which supplies bacon to Qantas for in-flight meals - has since made several hires of skilled migrants to help out with its daily operation.

With 2012 recently named the Australian Year of the Farmer, the National Farmers Federation president Jock Laurie says that there has never been a better time to get into the industry.

"The beginning of 2012 brings with it improved seasonal conditions across most of Australia, favourable commodity prices, a weakening Australian dollar and a forecast that the value of farm exports is expected to rise some six per cent," said Laurie.

He also commented that the multi-billion dollar market sector has "thousands of jobs available" as it tackles the task of feeding and clothing "a booming world population".

With an increase in worker shortages coupled with growing market demand, registered migration agents can offer farmers valuable advice on their international hiring options.