Fruit picker claims farmers know of ‘abysmal’ wages — but consumers hold key to better pay

As summer peaks and the pandemic lingers, farmers around Australia are watching their crops ripen but many don’t have enough workers to pick them before they wither.

Despite 26,000 fewer overseas workers in Australia to pick all the blueberries, raspberries, cherries, vegetables and grapes that are ripening in fields and orchards across the nation — the pay and conditions simply aren’t good enough to entice Australians to fill the vacancies.

So what’s the solution?

A…