Orchardists burn their fruit trees

Most people have a fruit tree, maybe two, in their yard, or nearby.

Imagine if 750,000 of them were torn up and burnt.

That's the outcome of a decision by Shepparton cannery SPC Ardmona not to renew contracts for fruit supply this year.

Fruit trees that supplied fruit for the cannery now have to be torn out, to prevent disease from rotting fruit and unsprayed orchards spreading to neighbouring orchards. Growers are devastated.

Published 16, August 2013
Produced for ABC Rural