International workers who have been working on the mainland picking fruit could be back in Tasmania at the end of this month, after a meeting of Government and growers agreed to work towards boosting the workforce for the looming berry harvest.
Seasonal workers from Pacific Island nations have been working on the mainland since the last Tasmanian harvest finished when they found they could not return home due to international travel restrictions.
In the midday meeting on Monday, the State Government told Fruit Growers Tasmania chief executive Peter Cornish they would work with them to get workers both from the mainland and overseas.
"We're not trying to circumvent any health requirements. We want to work with the Government," Mr Cornish said.
"We've got a significant number of people who the growers here are the primary sponsors for, and so they've got obligations under the schemes to these people.
"They've worked here earlier in the year most of them, and now they are looking to bring them back for this harvest."
Last month the State Government announced a $1.9 million campaign to get unemployed Tasmanians to fill the 8,000 jobs needed by the fruit industry.
Primary Industries Minister Guy Barnett said he wanted to make sure the fruit would be harvested.
"A local agricultural jobs campaign will kick off in coming weeks encouraging Tasmanians to consider new career options to help meet immediate labour needs in the industry," he said.
Mr Barnett also said that the Government was working on contingency plans to ensure there would be a harvest-ready workforce to address labour gaps.
"This includes public health officials working to determine how the movement of agricultural workers can be facilitated," he said.
The Pacific Island workers on the mainland are mainly located in 'COVID-safe' states according to Mr Cornish, who indicated some could be in Tasmania by the end of the month.
Mr Cornish also said the Tasmanian Government had committed to looking at a travel bubble with Pacific Island countries.
"Only last week we had the trial of Vanuatu workers going into the NT with mangoes, so we'll be looking to see how that trial goes," he said.
"We have to start work now if we can get the overseas workers in before the end of the year.
"We need to opt in and start working with the Federal Government now, and it will depend on the Federal Government."
Northern Tasmanian berry grower Simon Dornauf employed up to 450 workers every season. He found work on the mainland for his 250 Pacific Island employees in March when the harvest finished and they could not return home.
"We promised our workers we would try and get them back to work with us this season," he said.
Mr Dornauf had been training up locals and planned to employ around 100 Tasmanians for the harvest, which starts at the end of October.
"We know we need to do that, and we are prepared to take on any workers … but it really is a multi-pronged approach to make sure agricultural businesses get these 8,000 workers," he said.
"And we are looking at all facets of possible employees to make sure we have a successful harvest."
