By Les Watkins
Exporters will be glad to learn that one of Australia’s best-qualified commentators on agribusiness has defended them – by endorsing an opinion first aired in FOODtechnology.
Our July issue cartoon by Jamie Laurie swiped at Aussie wine makers who’d banned Kiwis from major competitions because they were winning too many awards.
It depicted a sour-faced Ocker saying: “Now let’s move on to banning the All Blacks playing here – they’re starting to win a bit too often.”
Marketing guru David Leyonhjelm amplified that theme while writing about the apple row in the respected Business Spectator.
“Imagine our rugby and cricket teams decided that defeat by teams from other countries, particularly New Zealand, was intolerable and convinced the government to prevent them from playing in Australia,” he said.
“Or, if they were allowed to come, they first had to pass impossibly stringent health checks that kept them out anyway…
“That is what has been occurring in key parts of our horticulture sectors. While the Kiwis have been busy competing in international markets and maintaining their competitiveness, Australian producers have focused on domestic markets and keeping foreigners out.
“The result… is that New Zealand fruit and vegetable growers are in better shape than ours.”
Fire blight on apples, in his view, “is not the threat it is made out to be”. The real issue is Aussies not being internationally competitive.
“Our problem is that many of our producers… have become unfit and complacent.”
In addition to starting to be more innovative in growing, harvesting and processing, he added, they should “follow rugby’s lead by stealing one of NZ’s coaches – in the form of someone who knows how to sell produce into export markets.”
As Fred Dagg sagaciously says, that’s the story – a verdict which should be heeded by the deliberately deaf.
