Citrus grower says storm ruins season
Posted
A citrus grower in the central Burnett says his 2008 season is in tatters because of a wild storm and fussy consumers.
Orchardist and Gayndah Packers' chairman Ian Shepard says more than half of his new fruit's skin has been damaged during a wild storm on Monday night packing 180 kilometre an hour winds.
He says the "wind rub" will not affect the fruit, but has made it worthless.
"Consumers these days buy with their eyes ... to get perfect fruit," he said.
"That's what the consumer likes to buy.
"If a piece of fruit has a blemish on the skin, even though internally it is perfect ... it in effect becomes second-grade fruit."
