Australian banana growers have complained that they are being paid less for their produce than the cost of production because of a lack of competition in the grocery sector.
The Australian Banana Growers Council said that since supermarket chain Franklins had been broken up the price paid to banana growers had fallen to around A$1 (US$0.71) per kilo, reported ABC News.
The council’s CEO, Tony Heidrich, said Australia’s two main retailers Coles Myer and Woolworths are between them taking 70% of production, and growers therefore have no choice but to accept the low prices.
“Not only are you unprofitable but there is no possibility at all of updating infrastructure and taking on additional employees, so it has a real flow on effect,” Heidrich was quoted by ABC as saying.
