Mango picking

Seasonal workers arrive from Vanuatu to pick mangoes in Darwin

The workers arrived on a chartered flight from Port Vila on Tuesday and will spend the next 14 days at Howard Springs quarantine facility, before heading to work across Top End orchards.

The group will join dozens of ni-Vanuatu harvest workers who arrived in September last year and had their visas extended to continue picking fruit.

Without them, Darwin Fruit Farmers manager Mark Smith said, many growers would not be able to send their mangoes to market.

“We'd go broke, I'd say,” Smith said. 

Ni-Vanuatu workers depart for Northern Territory

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Pacific islanders had previously been unable to travel to take up seasonal work opportunities - but Australia was now making an exception for the pilot project.

The flight had been delayed for several days, pending government approval.

However Vanuatu's Deputy Prime Minister, Ishmael Kalsakau, said he was now satisifed the 162 workers would be safe.

"The government is satisfied that the appropriate protocols have been put in place.

Australian Government's plan to allow fruit pickers from Vanuatu under threat

A final decision is set to be made this week, with Vanuatu's Office of the Prime Minister saying it is seeking legal advice before allowing any workers to leave the country.

The pilot programme would allow up to 200 workers to travel from Vanuatu to harvest mangoes in the Northern Territory. Those men and women were expecting to board a chartered flight to Darwin on Tuesday.

Deal allowing 170 Vanuatu workers to work on Australian mango farms very close

The ABC understands that details of the Vanuatu deal are to be announced by the Australian Government.

No Pacific seasonal workers have travelled to Australia since the closure of international borders in March, but there have been growing calls to let foreign workers in over fears that fruits will rot on trees otherwise.

Vanuatu's Labour Commissioner Muriel Meltenoven says talks have been held up by health and safety conditions for workers.