saren Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Does anyone know for sure which crop in Australia is the most lucrative? By that, i mean how expensive the product is sold for. For example, cherries are more expensive than apples, therefore pickers usually make a lot more picking cherries in 1 day, compared to picking apples (for the same amount of time/effort invested). It's apparent cherries are the more lucrative crop. My question is aside from cherries, what's the next expensive crop available for picking. Please exclude strawberries, watermelons, and lemons (as I've heard bad reports from pickers about these crops, mostly either because it's too backbreaking and/or with low pay). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Bananas are very expensive here as well. I would say bananas and cherries, maybe Mango's in some places and depends on the variety. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivePixie Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 There aren't any crops that are more lucrative than others, just those that pay award rates on contract, and those that pay award rates or more per hour. It 99% depends on the farmer - pineapples are meant to be piece rate, but we were at a farm where the farmer paid $20/hour as he liked to rotate people and that is way above the min. he had to pay of $15/hr, now we are doing pears and apples where there is 1 cent between them and contract rates, whereas down the road we know someone was picking figs for min rate of $15/hour, so he was much better off, but most places only pay piece rates round here, because they can. If you think there is a correlation to how much something costs the consumer, and how much of that is the producer costs, again, you have hell of a lot to learn about Australia. Don't know where you have hot the idea that strawberries are hard work - they are one of the easier crops imho. Bananas and mangos don't pay that well really, and bananas are one of the hardest crops. Good luck, you seriously are going to.need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 marijuana probably, then macadamia's but I think you get paid the same for polishing a Porsche as you do for polishing a holden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saren Posted February 9, 2013 Author Share Posted February 9, 2013 Pixie, i don't believe you as you're information is totally opposing anything else I've heard/read. Perhaps you simply don't like my questions, and are having a bad day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janine the party queen Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Wow Saren if you dont want to take advice from some one who is living and working in Australia...........then there is no hope for you. Might I suggest you go back to the bar and ask your so called mztes the address for the street paved in gold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PositivePixie Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Pixie, i don't believe you as you're information is totally opposing anything else I've heard/read. Perhaps you simply don't like my questions, and are having a bad day. Sweetie, I'm living and working in Australia, as a permanent resident. Every day is like mana from heaven.....no such thing as a bad day with a sky this blue, and work available to all whom actually want to work. I stand by my 'good luck, you are going to seriously need it with your terrible attitude' comment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freckleface Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Wow Saren if you dont want to take advice from some one who is living and working in Australia...........then there is no hope for you.Might I suggest you go back to the bar and ask your so called mztes the address for the street paved in gold. There isn't a street paved with gold but backpacker 'easy street' is in Sydney. I saw on the news this morning that European backpackers have been caught taking food from charity vans set up to feed the homeless. At first they thought the backpackers might have been in financial distress but they have been watching them and apparently they are just helping themselves to save money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisleylass Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 There isn't a street paved with gold but backpacker 'easy street' is in Sydney. I saw on the news this morning that European backpackers have been caught taking food from charity vans set up to feed the homeless. At first they thought the backpackers might have been in financial distress but they have been watching them and apparently they are just helping themselves to save money. That's disgusting! :mad: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Bananas are very expensive here as well. I would say bananas and cherries, maybe Mango's in some places and depends on the variety. Hope this helps. I'm paying $1.99 kg for bananas - wouldn't call that expensive. And the price you pay in the shop doesn't necessarily bear much relationship to what a picker gets paid for the work. Banana bunches are cut with big knives...haven't done it but it looks back breaking work to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 You are dreaming saren - a) you are hideously wrong b) you are going to get a short sharp shock when you get to oz. So far all of your many questions relate to 'how can I make the max. money, in the shortest time with the min. of effort?' You will find oz an unpleasant place with your current attitude, you need to seriously rethink your mindset. Be grateful if you simply get a job, work hard, and don't spoil it for others with your obvious bad attitude. There aren't any crops that are more lucrative than others, just those that pay award rates on contract, and those that pay award rates or more per hour. It 99% depends on the farmer - pineapples are meant to be piece rate, but we were at a farm where the farmer paid $20/hour as he liked to rotate people and that is way above the min. he had to pay of $15/hr, now we are doing pears and apples where there is 1 cent between them and contract rates, whereas down the road we know someone was picking figs for min rate of $15/hour, so he was much better off, but most places only pay piece rates round here, because they can. If you think there is a correlation to how much something costs the consumer, and how much of that is the producer costs, again, you have hell of a lot to learn about Australia. Don't know where you have hot the idea that strawberries are hard work - they are one of the easier crops imho. Bananas and mangos don't pay that well really, and bananas are one of the hardest crops. Good luck, you seriously are going to.need it. When I asked farmers while I was on my WHV, bananas paid more. That is all I'm saying. And reason why I think the mangoes and bananas would pay more, is because they are harder to pick and as far as I am aware, these days farmers pay more if they wish to, its at their discretion, and I am pretty sure the minimum you get paid now is a little over $17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 The money that can be earned by a fruit picker depends on the energy and enthusiasm of the fruit picker. You will either be paid an hourly rate (wages) or paid for the amount of fruit you pick (contact work). Wages - You will be paid an hourly rate to pick fruit. Wages are based on the Australia Standard wage rate for casual farm workers Contract - Based on the amount of fruit picked by individual pickers. Usually involves collecting fruit in 'buckets' (or bins) and recording the number of buckets picked each day. You determine the hours worked based on the number of buckets you wish to pick. If you are a good picker, contract work is usually the best way to make a good casual wage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xeneminie Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Another thing about seasonal farm work is that good workers who stick around are rare. If you are good and reliable you will move up on the ladder, and get more interesting, varied, and better paid work. Farmers also don't mind teaching you new stuff if they see you've got your head screwed on right and you don't mind to do a bit. Well, and if you can drive a tractor or other machinery, have a bit of mechanical knowledge, or a farming background, you'll be very, very welcome anywhere! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 (edited) There isn't a street paved with gold but backpacker 'easy street' is in Sydney. I saw on the news this morning that European backpackers have been caught taking food from charity vans set up to feed the homeless. At first they thought the backpackers might have been in financial distress but they have been watching them and apparently they are just helping themselves to save money. That would not surprise me in the slightest. There are some very shady backpackers here. Shoplifting is rife, amongst other things. Their philosophy is, work as little as possible, party as hard as possible and take whatever steps necessary to continue funding this lifestyle, ethical/legal or not. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/backpackers-in-charity-bludge/story-e6frg6n6-1226574451553 Edited February 10, 2013 by digitalis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 I'm paying $1.99 kg for bananas - wouldn't call that expensive. And the price you pay in the shop doesn't necessarily bear much relationship to what a picker gets paid for the work. Banana bunches are cut with big knives...haven't done it but it looks back breaking work to me. Yup! One bunch of bananas from a commercial crop will weigh about 30-35 kgs and the commercial growers have 50,000 to maybe 100,000 plants... So, Saren, think you could do that for a day?? A non commercial bunch from my backyard. The bunch weighed about 18 kg. Methinks you should apologise to PPixie for that tirade, :yes: As you clearly have NO idea and you did ask for information. Cheers, Bobj. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 There isn't a street paved with gold but backpacker 'easy street' is in Sydney. I saw on the news this morning that European backpackers have been caught taking food from charity vans set up to feed the homeless. At first they thought the backpackers might have been in financial distress but they have been watching them and apparently they are just helping themselves to save money. Yes I also read that FF!Pretty despicable if you ask me!Saren,your reply was quite rude actually.PositivePixie was only trying to help you and you should show some appreciation.You seem to be overly worried about work Saren,jumping from job to job.You need to find some courage and faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saren Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 i am not worried about jobs, in fact how would you know my emotional state over cyberspace. Isn't it more likely i am simply collecting knowledge in case at one point i have to pick. Of course, i have courage, and that's another thing you don't know I have, or not. How do you do know anything like that on an internet forum. Thank you so much for the people who responded positively, however Pixie, i think you are a in a delusional state if you think your post was at all friendly. I gave you only as much attitude as you deserve, your post was arrogant, and i think shows your underlying nature, which isn't helpful at all. Though i am sure you think so, because the sky is always blue in your corner of the world. What does that mean anyways? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saren Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 and to clarify, which seems like i have to, with you Melza is i am not jumping from job to job, i am simply collecting information on every possibility. Pixie's "you have a lot to learn about Australia" comment was unfriendly, and rude. She deserved the reply she got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saren Posted February 10, 2013 Author Share Posted February 10, 2013 and the last thing, just because someone is working/living in Australia doesn't mean i have to listen/appreciate what they say (when they're being rude about it). More like an arrogant local vs. the curious visitor. Maybe a bit of sensitivity training would be good for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest scrumpy Posted February 10, 2013 Share Posted February 10, 2013 Truffles Theres a few plantations in Oz that are working Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 i am not worried about jobs, in fact how would you know my emotional state over cyberspace. Isn't it more likely i am simply collecting knowledge in case at one point i have to pick. Of course, i have courage, and that's another thing you don't know I have, or not. How do you do know anything like that on an internet forum. Thank you so much for the people who responded positively, however Pixie, i think you are a in a delusional state if you think your post was at all friendly. I gave you only as much attitude as you deserve, your post was arrogant, and i think shows your underlying nature, which isn't helpful at all. Though i am sure you think so, because the sky is always blue in your corner of the world. What does that mean anyways? I've read a few of your posts Saren!What is so hard about harvesting jobs??????Go on Australian Job Search and look on the right hand side of the site.It will then give you the Harvest Trail which shows where the jobs are at any given time!Its not rocket science!You're hardly applying for a position of a CEO of a major company!And you say you have courage??????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacaranda Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Well sometimes I think I have more balls than some of the posters and I'm a female!:laugh:If Saren is THAT worried about finding a job,perhaps they should'nt be going! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digitalis Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Exactly. "She" knows a little bit too much about certain elements of Aus for my liking. She could be a genuine poster but if she is she is going to struggle as soon as the wheels hit the tarmac this side of the world. Not enough flexibility, and I don't mean hamstrings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 11, 2013 Share Posted February 11, 2013 Saren, you are in Aus atm are you? TBH if its a WHV you are on I'd not try to overthink it in terms of fruit picking. There are loads of listings for work for fruit picking work on a WHV. I don't know if you are trying to do it to earn money or to gain the extra year but if its to gain money, chances are it won't really pay well. Most backpackers only do the regional work to gain their second year WHV, not for any other reason really. Its not something to do for the entire year or anything really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saren Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Thank you snifter, i don't want a 2nd year, i just want to earn money, and i am on a WHV, in Australia at the moment and if it seems like i know a lot of about Ausralia digi, it s because i am a very good researcher, and because i am inquiistive, and have photographic memory. I prefer not to pick fruits, it is a last resort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.