FARM ONLINE | Contractors warn government visa slowdown to hit hard with harvest looming

With harvest less than a month away in parts of Queensland, concerns are growing that delays in processing working holiday visas could leave grain growers and contractors short of skilled workers.

Farm Online reported on the industry's reliance on international workers to operate machinery and support harvest logistics, with some contracting businesses sourcing up to half their workforce from working holiday visa holders.

Grain Producers Australia Chair and New South Wales grower Matthew Madden said restricting access to these workers could create unnecessary pressure at one of the busiest times of the year.

"Many of our members rely on working holiday visa holders to meet their staffing capacity needs at critical times, such as during harvest, and this policy position could see them struggle unnecessarily," he said.

"We know there is significant political pressure on the government in relation to migration numbers, but this shouldn't lead to a problem for our hard-working grain growers."

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