James Kelly with Solomon Islands reporter Elton Lonaratha Jnr at Kelly Bros Farm near Yarrawonga, one of Australia’s largest vegetable growers.
While Australian farmers struggle to stay afloat amid rising costs and market challenges, Kelly Brothers Farm holds on to its long-standing farming tradition, though not without difficulty.
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Today, much of the land lies fallow, and owner James Kelly, 55, says the farm is fighting to survive as rising production costs and supermarket pricing leave little room for profit.
“We’re probably one of the largest vegetable growers in Australia, but the money we get from supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths is not enough to survive anymore,” Mr Kelly said.
“We’ve gone from 80 workers seven days a week down to six or seven people a couple of days, and we still can’t sell what we grow.”
James Kelly represents the fifth generation to run the family farm but fears the legacy may not continue beyond him.
Mr Kelly said the farm, which once burst with 16 varieties, now grows four or five, including cabbages, parsnips, brown onions, leeks and spinach.
“About 60 per cent of the farm is empty, which is sad,” he said.
“We might have to cut back even more and grow wheat, canola, or barley until supermarkets pay enough to make vegetables worth growing again.”
He said despite the farm’s award-winning reputation, named Farm of the Year in the early 2000s, farming had become financially unsustainable for many in the industry.
“Fertiliser, diesel, wages, power — everything has doubled,” he said.
“Yet we’re getting the same price for our crops that we got 30 years ago.
“A cabbage might fetch us $3, but sells for $7 or $8 in supermarkets. It just doesn’t add up.
“The decline of local fruit and vegetable shops has worsened the situation.
“Since COVID, small fruit shops have disappeared; people buy everything from Coles or Woolworths.
“Produce there often looks two weeks old, not fresh like we used to deliver directly.
“Australians don’t get to see the best fruit and vegetables anymore.”
Mr Kelly lamented the shift in dietary habits among Australians with people eating less fruit and vegetables.
“We’re just happy with fast food and pre-packaged meals; it’s a shame we’ve lost that family meal culture,” he said.
Mr Kelly represents the fifth generation to run the family farm but fears the legacy may not continue beyond him.
“I have four daughters, none of them are interested in farming,” he said.
“My brother’s children might be, but it’s a hard life seven days a week, long hours, and often no reward.”
A Solomon Islands reporter visited Kelly Bros Farm while at the Yarrawonga Chronicle on a study tour recently.
Despite the challenges, Mr Kelly said the farm remained committed to quality.
Fertiliser programs, crop rotations and environmentally careful insecticide use ensure top-quality produce.
“We concentrate on growing vegetables properly and hope the market improves and everything gets back to normal,” Mr Kelly said.
The farm, which covers 1000 acres, relies on irrigation from the Murray River and employs a small team of seasonal workers, who live on-site free of charge.
Mr Kelly also supports local trades and engineering businesses in Yarrawonga for farm maintenance and machinery work.
Their main customers are in Melbourne, with some produce distributed to Sydney, Adelaide and Queensland.
“We used to deliver directly to homes, but it became too hard to organise,” Mr Kelly said.
“Now we just focus on farming and see what the future brings.”
He believes the challenges faced by Kelly Brothers Farm are not unique.
“Farmers across Australia are struggling; many want to stop growing vegetables and move on to something else,” he said.
“Unless something changes, unless supermarkets start paying fair prices, there won’t be many vegetable farmers left.”
Kelly Brothers Farm, established more than 150 years ago, stands as a symbol of endurance and passion in a changing agricultural landscape, but for now its future, like many others in rural Australia, hangs in the balance.
