Mango farmers raise the alarm on government cuts to Australia's working holiday visa program
Mango farmers in Australia's Northern Territory are concerned that federal cuts to the working holiday visa program will lead to labor shortages. The new caps on second and third-year visas may discourage backpackers from performing the regional work necessary to sustain the agricultural industry.
Why it matters
Changes to immigration policy can have immediate, tangible impacts on seasonal labor-dependent industries like agriculture, potentially affecting food supply and prices.
The overhaul of the working holiday visa program follows what was already a difficult period for mango growers in the NT. ( ABC News: Marcus Kennedy )
Mango farmers in the Northern Territory are raising the alarm about the federal government's cuts to Australia's working holiday visa program, which will put a cap on the number of backpackers who can stay longer than 12 months.
The mango industry argues the changes will have a devastating impact on growers, which could leave fruit to rot on the tree.
NT Opposition Leader Selena Uibo is calling on her federal Labor colleagues to create a carve-out for the territory.
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Saramat "Tou" Ruchkaew says fruit could be left to rot on her 85,000-tree mango farm outside Darwin, following cuts to Australia's working holiday visa program.
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