Wheat growers reject AWB-controlled single-desk
Report: Jane Bardon
An overwhelming majority of wheat growers have told the Federal Government's consultation committee they reject AWB continuing to control the single desk. The Wheat Export Marketing Consultation Committee will officially report on the views of the country's 30,000 wheat growers to the Federal Government by the end of this month. It's basing that on 550 speeches made at public meetings and 1,200 written submissions.
Committee chairman John Ralph says 70 per cent want a single-desk, but now only 20 per cent now support the status quo. Many growers would accept a proposal from AWB to split away the single desk from its commercial control through a company de-merger. Mr Ralph says at least 50 per cent of wheat farmers want a single desk which is totally grower controlled.
"I think there's greater support for a single desk that is separate from the corporate identity of AWB than may have been expected in the sense that there's a greater proportion in the people who want to see a separation from AWB than was suggested in the survey that AWB had commissioned."
Mr Ralph says the committee gained the impression that wheat growers with larger operations are much more keen to see a more deregulated market than smaller growers. He added: "Smaller growers in more in favour of the single desk, but an ABARE survey says smaller growers were less likely to put their wheat with the pool.
"What we found in the eastern states was that quite often the people who favoured the single desk, with the present size of the crop, weren't selling any through the single desk. They were selling all their outputs domestically. And there would be a higher proportion of younger growers, than older, in favour of some form of deregulation."
Some, including the Labor Party, have suggested growers have had the value of the single desk marketing system hidden from them so long, because it's commercial information held by AWB, that they don't have enough information to make an informed decision. What impression has Mr Ralph gained?
"There is certainly a difference between what people feel is provided by the single desk, than what is actually provided by the single desk. Some people still think it has some form of government guarantee for example, even though it's corporatised. "There were quite a number among those in favour of the single desk who based their views on the unhappy experiences of themselves or their forebears going back to the 1930s, rather than basing their views on figures or estimates."
In this report: John Ralph, chairman, Wheat Export Marketing Consultation Committee.
Report: Jane Bardon
An overwhelming majority of wheat growers have told the Federal Government's consultation committee they reject AWB continuing to control the single desk. The Wheat Export Marketing Consultation Committee will officially report on the views of the country's 30,000 wheat growers to the Federal Government by the end of this month. It's basing that on 550 speeches made at public meetings and 1,200 written submissions.
Committee chairman John Ralph says 70 per cent want a single-desk, but now only 20 per cent now support the status quo. Many growers would accept a proposal from AWB to split away the single desk from its commercial control through a company de-merger. Mr Ralph says at least 50 per cent of wheat farmers want a single desk which is totally grower controlled.
"I think there's greater support for a single desk that is separate from the corporate identity of AWB than may have been expected in the sense that there's a greater proportion in the people who want to see a separation from AWB than was suggested in the survey that AWB had commissioned."
Mr Ralph says the committee gained the impression that wheat growers with larger operations are much more keen to see a more deregulated market than smaller growers. He added: "Smaller growers in more in favour of the single desk, but an ABARE survey says smaller growers were less likely to put their wheat with the pool.
"What we found in the eastern states was that quite often the people who favoured the single desk, with the present size of the crop, weren't selling any through the single desk. They were selling all their outputs domestically. And there would be a higher proportion of younger growers, than older, in favour of some form of deregulation."
Some, including the Labor Party, have suggested growers have had the value of the single desk marketing system hidden from them so long, because it's commercial information held by AWB, that they don't have enough information to make an informed decision. What impression has Mr Ralph gained?
"There is certainly a difference between what people feel is provided by the single desk, than what is actually provided by the single desk. Some people still think it has some form of government guarantee for example, even though it's corporatised. "There were quite a number among those in favour of the single desk who based their views on the unhappy experiences of themselves or their forebears going back to the 1930s, rather than basing their views on figures or estimates."
In this report: John Ralph, chairman, Wheat Export Marketing Consultation Committee.
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