Aussies’ favourite breakfast staple under threat due to reduced production

As the sun rises over the vast Australian landscape, many look forward to starting their day with a comforting breakfast routine.

Savouring a steaming cuppa or nibbling on a crunchy bikkie, these rituals are imprinted on our everyday lives and represent moments of comfort.

However, a recent announcement from Australia's largest cannery may have us rethinking our breakfast choices.


Shepparton Preserving Company (SPC) Australia, based in northern Victoria's Shepparton, has decided to reduce its intake of peaches and pears by more than 40 per cent for the upcoming season.

‘The average Australian household is under pressure, and customers are purchasing alternative products imported from countries such as South Africa and China, where the cost of production is lower,’ an SPC spokesperson explained.

‘As a result of this reduced demand, we have made the difficult decision to reduce our orders of peaches and pears for the upcoming season.’


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SPC in Shepparton, Victoria, will cut peach and pear intake by over 40 per cent due to tough foreign competition. Credit: iStock


Victorian Fruit Growers Services Manager Mick Crisera noted that despite the announcement during last month's supply meeting, which gave growers time to plan for the upcoming season, many were still taken aback.

‘Twelve to 18 months ago, the cannery was talking about encouraging growers to plant more,’ Mr Crisera said.

‘Now, within 18 months, they're unable to sell their stock.’


Growers are left with a surplus they cannot sell and face tough decisions: Should they prune their trees or remove them altogether?

‘It just depends on which growers want to take a punt and still grow to the end of the season on the hope that (SPC) may take more,’ Mr Crisera said.

He added that tariffs were necessary to safeguard Australian growers against the competitive pressure from inexpensive imported products driven by rising costs.

'I don't think many consumers realise that a lot of that Select or Coles or ALDI or IGA-branded products, even though they say they're (a) community company, it's actually a product of China or South Africa,' he continued.

‘There needs to be some sort of protection for Australian growers. Other countries worldwide seem to want to protect their growers except Australia.’


The Goulburn Valley, often called the 'fruit bowl' of Australia, has endured tough times recently, with rising costs, tight margins, and the impact of extreme weather on crops.

‘It has been a tough grind,’ Mr Crisera commented.

‘We need the Australian public to be aware as much as possible about the challenges that growers face.’

Jeremy Griffith, a National Farmers Federation's Horticulture Council member, expressed ongoing dissatisfaction with the quantity of foreign imports from major supermarkets.

‘It's no great surprise that we are seeing the reputation of the major supermarkets fall off the cliff,’ Mr Griffith said.

‘Growers cannot get a fair return on their produce. We have growers who reported not having had a price increase for 15 years.’
'That is the level of domination Coles and Woolies have in this country.'


Mr Griffith emphasised the challenging conditions growers face and highlighted the potential risk they pose to national food security.

He expressed optimism that the federal government's review of major supermarkets could produce more favourable terms for growers.

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union reported that employees at the cannery had received no information regarding possible job reductions.

‘There's been no consultation around this announcement,’ Union Organiser Candic Tierney said.

‘Which is not throwing us all under the bus, but (we're) a little bit disappointed they haven't presented an offer to the employees about what this looks like.’

In a related development, conflicts between growers and two retail giants, Coles and Woolworths, occurred earlier this year.

Fruit growers have opted to reveal significant insight into the pricing mechanisms for apples in these retail giants. Further details on these revelations can be found here.
Key Takeaways
  • Shepparton Preserving Company, Australia's largest cannery, plans to reduce its intake of peaches and pears by more than 40 per cent due to competition from cheaper imports.
  • Cost-of-living pressures influence Aussie consumers to opt for imported products over local produce.
  • Fruit growers in northern Victoria have been left uncertain about their future, with some considering whether to prune or remove their trees.
  • There is a call for tariffs to protect Aussie growers, as the dominance of imported products in supermarkets affects local agriculture and potentially threatens national food security.
Have you noticed changes in the availability of your favourite breakfast items? How often do you buy Australian-grown produce? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
 
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Noticed there are hardly any Australian tinned fruits on Coles shelves! It’s all Chinese crap, and instead of lots of fruit choices now it’s is only maybe four.
Noticed our once long biscuit aisles have shrunk dramatically as well.
Once we had oodles of Aussie bickies to choose from, but now it’s really only Arnott’s cardboard boring stuff, or sickly sweet, overpriced items from UK or India.
Coles has added several new brands of alleged Basil Pesto to their range, including the Jamie Oliver brand.
Do NOT waste yr money, as I’ve tried them all. Lately I hv discovered a passion for Basil Pesto on pasta - nothing else, just the Basil Pesto. So I bought a jar of each of the new Basil Pesto brands that Coles has brought in. Result is “How dare Coles put this revolting, bland, twig-filled and floaty hard bits bland muck on our shelves?!!”
One of the worst was Jamie Oliver’s basil pesto! An unpleasant product and ghastly waste of money.
Barilla is OK, but not the one w zucchini in it - that is yech!
Sacala is best w lots of fresh basil flavour bursting forth, it actually has Basil you can smell and TASTE!
All the others are not worth wasting time and precious (dwindling) cash upon!
WHY are so many inferior imported foods being dumped on us, now?!
We used to have such delicious, gorgeous, flavoursome, tasty Australian produce to choose from. But now in 2024, our supermarket shelves are suddenly laiden with absolutely ghastly, substandard, imported products that are simply rubbish and not worth the glass jar or tin they are packed in!!

I want GOOD AUSTRALIAN FOOD to buy in our supermarkets!
Give it back now!
 
I will not buy any fruit products other than SPC. I always check for Australian products .The way Australia is going we will have no home grown produce at all. Wake up Australia, support our own country, not other countries that seem to be taking over.
 
Yes, come on folks, let's back as many of our Aussie companies as we can.
I know times are tough, but Aussie jobs are on the line and Aussie brand products are dearer because of the better wages and conditions we receive in Australia. We need to reciprocate.
If we do not save our aussie companies we might as well just let any country move in and takeover!
 
SPC have been informed that Woolworths will be reducing their order by 40% . In favour of Chinese fruit which is cheaper because that is supposedly what their customers want . The decision was NOT SPCs.
This story is totally misleading.
 
I test products for Woolies and so far I have only tested 2 products that are 100% Australian. The rest especially fruit is from China. I have put my 2 bobs worth in saying I would not buy the products tested because we grow them here and the farmers get that money not overseas governments. My husband and I always read the labels to see where they are from and what preservatives are added. I know there are some things we don't grow here and if I want that product I buy it. It all starts with the consumer, we have the power to get Australian products back on the supermarket shelves
 
I always buy a local product. Yes it may be a little dearer, but I am supporting our local farmers. Stop buying imported tinned products - you have no idea how they are grown, what chemicals they use and would other countries meet Australian standards. Don't buy imported fish - fresh or frozen, you have no idea how they are grown. A lot of Asian product comes through New Zealand and labelled as packed in NZ. Times might be tough and the same applies to local farmers.
 
As usual, as times get tougher price will win.
When you take into account the cost of logistics and handling it makes you wonder what the items cost at the point of production..... Why is it that Aussie products cannot compete????...... Unions, OHS, wages and greed.
 
Noticed there are hardly any Australian tinned fruits on Coles shelves! It’s all Chinese crap, and instead of lots of fruit choices now it’s is only maybe four.
Noticed our once long biscuit aisles have shrunk dramatically as well.
Once we had oodles of Aussie bickies to choose from, but now it’s really only Arnott’s cardboard boring stuff, or sickly sweet, overpriced items from UK or India.
Coles has added several new brands of alleged Basil Pesto to their range, including the Jamie Oliver brand.
Do NOT waste yr money, as I’ve tried them all. Lately I hv discovered a passion for Basil Pesto on pasta - nothing else, just the Basil Pesto. So I bought a jar of each of the new Basil Pesto brands that Coles has brought in. Result is “How dare Coles put this revolting, bland, twig-filled and floaty hard bits bland muck on our shelves?!!”
One of the worst was Jamie Oliver’s basil pesto! An unpleasant product and ghastly waste of money.
Barilla is OK, but not the one w zucchini in it - that is yech!
Sacala is best w lots of fresh basil flavour bursting forth, it actually has Basil you can smell and TASTE!
All the others are not worth wasting time and precious (dwindling) cash upon!
WHY are so many inferior imported foods being dumped on us, now?!
We used to have such delicious, gorgeous, flavoursome, tasty Australian produce to choose from. But now in 2024, our supermarket shelves are suddenly laiden with absolutely ghastly, substandard, imported products that are simply rubbish and not worth the glass jar or tin they are packed in!!

I want GOOD AUSTRALIAN FOOD to buy in our supermarkets!
Give it back now!
Well said BabsL:
 
The government a few years ago was putting money into SPC to keep it going. We all know that Australia has strict regulations on fruit and vegetable growing with what they can and can't be fertilised or sprayed with. Why then are all the public hospitals, nursing homes, prisons etc. being supplied with the imported "stuff"where there is just about "if any" regulations what is put in the ground where this "stuff" is grown. Are we trying to keep out sick "sick" or trying to kill off our elderly. I have been trying to find SPC "very healthy" items on the shelves and finding it harder every week. Wouldn't it be beneficial to us, including the government, who are paying out loads on welfare, to buy Australian grown produce where welfare would go down as more Ausi's would be employed, and we would be healthier, saving loads on the medical system. I am no economist but why did the government subsidize SPC and not purchase their products.
 
There is a easy fix that would increase sales of australian products make it compolsery to have the products on the shelves that sell the most products eye height.
Unfortunately, Tony, people will still look for price first. Many younger people may not even know of the brands we are talking about. Government should make it compulsory to stock Australian brands. They definitely should be used by government run facilities.
 
I would not call canned fruit a breakfast must have,. OUR own fruit and vegies are , in my opinion, the best in the world. Once again the big 2 and smaller supermarkets inflict overseas rubbish upon us. Australian canneries have gone by the wayside
 
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