After moving to Australia 19 years ago, Amarinder Bajwa built a career in Melbourne in transport.
But four years ago, he left it all behind to pursue his dream of being a farmer in Victoria’s Goulburn Valley.
“I had no idea about Shepparton, but I came to visit a friend who had just bought a farm here,” Mr Bajwa said.
“I really liked the weather and the way everything looked really green.
“It resembles my home country.”
Apple growers are struggling to make a profit. (ABC Rural: Annie Brown)
Mr Bajwa, who grew up in Punjab in northern India, purchased a fruit orchard in Shepparton East with his brother, but it was not long before it got tough.
He lost nearly 70 per cent of his crop to a hailstorm, the orchard was flooded in 2022 and now the state is experiencing drought conditions.
Despite all that, Mr Bajwa does not regret making the move.
“My only is regret is I made this decision very late — I could have done this 10 years ago,”
he said.
“I feel connected — farming brings communities together, whereas in metros you don’t know your next-door neighbours.
“The support we’ve had from the community has been beyond my expectations.”
Hard times for growers
Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL), which represents growers, said the industry was at a “crossroads” and most producers had not made a profit in the past four years.
APAL head of industry, government relations and advocacy Jeremy Griffith said he expected more orchards to be consolidated over the next five years.
Pear trees are ripped out as growers consolidate or diversify their orchards. (ABC Rural: Annie Brown)
“Input costs have ramped up dramatically, and supermarkets are not covering those costs,” Mr Griffith said.
“Growers can survive one or two years like that, but they can’t survive beyond that.”
Mr Griffith said APAL’s strategy for the next five years would focus on increasing consumer demand for fresh produce.
New export markets are opening up in China, but Mr Griffith said the industry really needed Australians to eat more fruit.
“Apple consumption has flatlined and we have certainly seen a decline in pear consumption,” he said.
“We did see, in the last few years, 15 per cent of pear orchards removed.”
Pears consumption in Australia continues to drop. (ABC Rural: Annie Brown)
The challenges continue to stack up, but Mr Griffiths said farm succession was one of the biggest concerns for orchardists.
“Their kids don’t want to take over because they can’t really see a future in it,” he said.
“Working this hard and not being able to make a profit, it’s a pretty depressing place for the industry to be in.
“It’s a tough, tough business … and I’m yet to meet a grower who doesn’t work seven days a week.”
Trying new things
It is Mr Bawja’s unsinkable optimism that keeps him in the orchard every day.
Amarinder Bajwa moved to Shepparton in 2021 to become an orchardist. (ABC Rural: Annie Brown)
“Everything has its pros and cons, but if you look at the positive side, it’ll give you more energy to do good things,”
he said.
Mr Bawja is diversifying his crops so he does not have to rely on the income of an annual harvest, including growing broccolini year-round.
“This is the third year and we’re really happy with the way things are coming up,” he said.
Broccolini has become an important crop for Amarinder Bajwa. (ABC Rural: Annie Brown)
He also plans to plant more apples and apricots.
“We are in the process of pulling old varieties out and replacing them with new varieties,” Mr Bajwa said.
“They are better looking, better eating quality and better yields
“Business is not all about money — there are other businesses that make more money than this, but it’s all about lifestyle balance.”
