Mehran Mahdavi, originally from Iran, at the pistachio tree nursery at Robinvale, Victoria, in the 1980s: ‘It was like touching my babies. There were thousands of plants growing in the best conditions’Mehran Mahdavi, originally from Iran, at the pistachio tree nursery at Robinvale, Victoria, in the 1980s: ‘It was like touching my babies. There were thousands of plants growing in the best conditions’.
“Those days, when I went to the nursery and touched the plants, it was like touching my babies. There were thousands of plants growing in the best conditions.”Mahdavi worked at Robinvale from 1983 to 1984. Today, Robinvale, part of CMV Farms, is one of the country’s largest pistachio orchards. But the partnership broke down. “Initial discussion had been held with Mehran regarding the formation of a partnership to develop a pistachio plantation, however as with many partnerships final agreement could not be reached and our relationship concluded,” Crawford says.The knowledge and skills of immigrants and refugees have underpinned the Australian horticulture industry for decades. Kyalite Pistachios proprietor Chris Joyce started his orchard in New South Wales in 1984.
Swan Hill Rural City Council mayor, Stuart King, says the migrant influence on agriculture can be traced back to after the second world war. Robinvale is in the Sunraysia district of Victoria, one of the most productive in Australia. The region produces 75% of Australia’s table grapes, 68% of its almonds, 48% of its pistachios, 45% of its olive oil and 24% of its citrus. This bounty is still heavily dependent on migrant workers,found.
Fruit Growers Victoria grower services manager, Michael Crisera, says social integration, language barriers, and the cost and legal barriers around migration were among the challenges faced when migrants entered the workforce.