eve
Jul 4th, 2005, 07:38 AM
He says fast food chain McDonald's and retailers Coles and Woolworths will live to regret using imported products instead of home grown produce.
Victorian National Party MP Peter McGauran says vegetable growers deserve a better deal from the big retailers. Mr McGauran has attacked big retailers for using imported produce in house brands, and the decision by McDonald's to cut potato contracts by 50 percent in favour of cheap New Zealand product.
"Where there is a short-term downturn in Australian farmers' competitiveness, these companies should not be seduced into seeing Australian farmers go out of business, because they'll live to regret it," he said. He says he does not support tighter government controls on the companies or a boycott of McDonald's, but will meet with the chains to push the case of Australian farmers.
Victorian National Party MP Peter McGauran says vegetable growers deserve a better deal from the big retailers. Mr McGauran has attacked big retailers for using imported produce in house brands, and the decision by McDonald's to cut potato contracts by 50 percent in favour of cheap New Zealand product.
"Where there is a short-term downturn in Australian farmers' competitiveness, these companies should not be seduced into seeing Australian farmers go out of business, because they'll live to regret it," he said. He says he does not support tighter government controls on the companies or a boycott of McDonald's, but will meet with the chains to push the case of Australian farmers.