Australia: AUSVEG calls for competition watchdog to look at Oakville collapse and non-payment to potato farmers

AUSVEG has called for the competition watchdog to ensure farmers get paid after Australia’s largest potato supplier Oakville went into voluntary administration. Potato growers have reportedly gone unpaid since potato and onion supplier Oakville Produce, formerly the Moraitis Group, went into receivership. The national vegetable industry body wants the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and Oakville receiver and manager Deloitte to ensure small farmers are given the same priority as other creditors during repayment proceedings. AUSVEG spokesman Jordan Brooke-Barnett said growers were owed hundreds of thousands of dollars. He said they deserve to be compensated. More