New market would be ‘catastrophic’

By Paul Dunlop
PLANS to relocate Melbourne’s wholesale fruit and vegetable market have been slammed by local growers, who say it could spell disaster for their businesses.
Some growers believe the relocation will not go ahead as “nobody wants it”.
Fruit and vegetable producers around Kooweerup, Dalmore and Lang Lang fear for their future if the State Government forges ahead with plans to shift the market from its current location in West Melbourne to Epping.
The $300 million centre, announced in May last year, is expected to begin construction in 2008 on 133 hectares of land 18 kilometres north of Melbourne.
Kooweerup farmer Michael Motta said very few local people were in favour of a move.
“It would be a disaster for growers out here,” Mr Motta said.
Agriculture Minister Bob Cameron said redeveloping and relocating the market would underpin the longerterm development of the fruit and vegetable production, distribution and retail industry across the state.
But growers say that as well as adding another hour to their travel time, the increased cost of setting up operations in new premises would be unaffordable. The Nationals and Liberal Party have weighed in against the relocation, making it a major preelection issue.
Mr Motta is among several local producers nervously monitoring the debate.
“A lot of people won’t be able to afford to move. The current setup is perfect, it’s a central location,” he said.
“Personally, I don’t think (a move) is going to happen because nobody wants it.”
Mr Cameron said the relocation was necessary because the market needed to grow, but Mr Motta questioned that argument.
He said the new centre shaped to be far too big and could result in dramatic increases in rents. The move could also force stallholders to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on new facilities such as coolrooms, he said.
“What they’re proposing to give us is just a bare shell – not even toilets – and no compensation for what we would be leaving behind,” Mr Motta said.
“We’ve invested between $300,000400,000 in the last 12 months upgrading our space at Footscray and we need to keep doing that to keep growing our business. We can’t just sit on our hands and wait to move.”
Lang Lang wholesaler Tony Butera said the relocation could have “catastrophic consequences”.
“We can’t afford to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars to establish our businesses all over again in another location,” he said.
“The current location is excellent. It will take local marketgoers another half hour each way to get to Epping. It’s hard to get any information about what is planned. Nobody really knows.”
Bass Nationals candidate Jacky Abbott said the State Government would have to invest in improved transport links between Epping and this area if the proposed plan goes ahead.
“It is clear the Government will need to make provisions for Gippsland farmers who stand to be seriously disadvantaged by the market’s move,” Ms Abbott said.
Mr Cameron said the move would ensure the growth of Victoria’s successful fresh fruit, vegetable and flower industries.
“A new modern market at a larger site will underpin the longerterm development of the fruit and vegetable production, distribution and retail industry across the state,” he said.