Imports 'will kill' region's industry

South West fruit and vegetable growers fear rocketing imports will squeeze them out and kill the industry.

New figures from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry show the value of processed fruit and vegetable imports into WA soared 64 per cent from $71 million in 2010-2011 to $116 million in 2011-2012.

Fresh fruit and vegetable imports into WA increased by 19 per cent over the same period.

Myalup grower Ben Taylor said imports were the biggest issue threatening WA growers who were being forced to slash prices to compete.

He said high production costs made the price cuts unsustainable.

“It’s killing us,’’ Mr Taylor said.

“We are financially stuffed because our returns are not there anymore.”

Mr Taylor produces vegetables which are sold both fresh and in the form of processed products, such as frozen meals.

Donnybrook apple and pear grower Steve Dilley said locally produced food would slowly be replaced by imported food until there was none or little local produce on supermarket shelves.

“Until consumers go into supermarkets and find the shelves empty because the imported stuff didn’t arrive and there’s no local produce, it will continue to go on as is,” he said.

“It could be five, 10 or 20 years down the track but that’s what it’s going to take for people to realise that locally produced food is important.”