Australia’s mango farmers fear harvest losses over working holiday visa cuts
Australia’s NT mango farmers warn harvests could be lost as Canberra cuts second- and third-year working holiday visas and replaces automatic extensions with a ballot, threatening seasonal labour for remote orchards.
PEOPLE & COMMUNITY
Northern Territory mango growers are warning that fruit could rot on trees after the federal government moved to slash the number of second- and third-year working holiday visas and replace automatic extensions with a ballot system, a change Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke announced last week that industry leaders say ignores the seasonal labour reality of remote orchards.
On her 85,000-tree mango farm near Darwin, Saramat “Tou” Ruchkaew says the new rules could leave harvest crews short and fruit unpicked, describing the impact as catastrophic for an industry that relies on backpackers to fill essential roles each season. “This is a significant issue for the farming community,” she said, noting the mango sector needs around 2,500 workers each season and questioning why the government would alter a system that has been functioning. “They labor diligently, earn money, and then move on. Why alter something that is functioning well?”
Under the revised framework, backpackers who want to stay beyond 12 months must now enter a ballot, with the government capping second-year visas at 45,000 and third-year visas at just 5,000 — a reduction of roughly 38,000 compared with 2026 levels. While first-year working holiday visas are not being cut, farmers and workers fear the change removes the incentive to complete the 88 days of specified regional work that currently unlocks a second year, because completing the work no longer guarantees an extension. “They might think, ‘If we work for 88 days and don’t get a chance in the ballot, why should I bother? I’m here to enjoy myself,’” Ms Ruchkaew said.
Backpackers on the ground say the uncertainty is already changing their plans. Rebecca Koivu, a Finnish visitor working while travelling in Australia, is considering entering the ballot but warned many of her friends are primarily motivated by the chance for a second and third year. “I believe all the farms will struggle because many of my friends are in the same situation,” she said. “They’re primarily motivated by the chance for a second and third year.”
Industry representatives have condemned the ballot idea as unworkable for agriculture. Leo Skrilos, president of the NT Mango Industry Association, called the proposal “absurd” and asked: “Are we operating a casino or a nation? Are they just drawing names randomly?” He argued the move looks like a hasty political response to the rising popularity of One Nation and its hardline immigration stance, rather than a policy designed around regional labour needs. “One Nation’s appeal seems to stem from their intent to address concerns regarding visa holders occupying housing,” he said. “This issue has nothing to do with backpackers.”
For Ms Ruchkaew, who migrated from Thailand to the Northern Territory 35 years ago, the debate has also revived painful rhetoric around immigration and contribution. “I make a significant contribution to this country… we are not a burden,” she said. “Just like backpackers, they arrive, work hard, explore, and enjoy their lives.”
The labour squeeze comes after an already punishing year for some growers. At Mariecone’s orchard further south, 2026 has brought severe flooding in an extended wet season, followed by erosion, road damage, fire threats and wildfires, compounding the pressure on businesses that depend on reliable seasonal workers. Ms Piccone, speaking from that operation, said the visa cuts show the federal government is “disconnected” from regional realities and accused Canberra of prioritising election votes over the needs of business owners outside major cities. “It’s clear to anyone observing that they are primarily focused on securing votes for the upcoming election, neglecting our needs,” she said.
NT Opposition Leader Selena Uibo said the Territory is “heavily” reliant on working holiday visa holders and is urging federal Labor colleagues to carve out an exemption for the Northern Territory from the national policy. “The federal Labor government will disregard the Northern Territory if they do not provide us with a carve-out,” she said. “I am more than willing to express this to my federal Labor associates and our federal Labor government. We do not wish to be treated the same as the rest of the country regarding this matter.”
Farmers warn that without enough hands to pick, mangoes could be left to waste on trees — a loss that would ripple through regional economies already stretched by weather and infrastructure damage.
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