Export boost for carrot growers

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 288, 30 May 1989, Page 1

Export boost for carrot growers

Ohakune carrot growers are facing a brighter season thanks to a short run of high prices for carrots in Australia over recent weeks. Due to storms in the growing areas in Queensland carrot prices in Sydney and Brisbane were high, making it worth their while for some produce companies, such as Kiwi Harvest and Turners and Growers,

to airfreight carrots across the Tasman. Kevin Robinson at Turners and Growers, Ohakune told the Bulletin last week that they had shipped about 100 tonnes of carrots in the past few weeks. He said Turners and Growers exported about 5-10 tonne of Ohakune carrots per week at this time last year, so demand now in Australia is much higher. He said he knew of a number of companies that had been sending carrots on consignment

to Australian markets in recent weeks. Most Ohakune growers were taking advantage of the situation, he said. The price has since dropped back but the short demand has removed the glut, which means prices should be better for the growers for the rest of the season. Growers Association representative John Eades said the export situation had "made things a little better" for most growers.