In 2022, Emori Seru Rokoniu spent nine months working on a farm near Adelaide, South Australia, picking tomatoes and cucumbers under the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme.
Mr Rokoniu joined the scheme to support his family and quickly discovered that the work involved long hours and demanding conditions. A typical workday began at 7am inside a hydroponic greenhouse, with strictly scheduled break and lunch times.
“During the shift, we have 15 minutes for a break and 30 minutes for lunch. We start early and need to be there 15 minutes before our shift starts,” he said.
In addition to the structured schedule, horticulture work can be physically demanding and repetitive. Mr Rokoniu explained that his duties included pruning tomatoes and cucumbers and working inside a glasshouse where much of the process was mechanised.
“At my work, we had to prune the tomatoes and cucumbers. Everything is done using machines — you remove the leaves and shoots and pollinate the tomatoes,” he said.
Many Fijians are joining the PALM scheme to gain new skills and earn income to support their families. However, participants must also be prepared for hard physical work, homesickness and adapting to a different lifestyle.
Employment Permanent Secretary, Mr Maritino Nemani, said the PALM scheme offers more than just financial benefits.
“For those who are willing to work hard, the PALM scheme is more than just a chance to earn a good income. It is also a way to gain new skills, both technical and soft skills, such as budgeting, computer skills, workplace safety and communication,” Mr Nemani said.
He added that these skills can be applied when workers return to Fiji, helping to strengthen local businesses and boost the national economy.
After returning home, Mr Rokoniu began applying what he had learned by planting cucumbers in Fiji, noting key differences between farming practices.
“I came back to Fiji and planted cucumbers, and it’s different. The first thing I noticed is the size is bigger here,” he said.
“In Australia, you plant on hydroponic lines which distribute water to the plants, but in Fiji we plant in the ground and water them ourselves,” he explained.
There are opportunities for both men and women in Australia’s agriculture and horticulture sectors, including planting and maintaining crops, operating machinery, harvesting fruit and vegetables, loading produce onto trucks, building trellises and sorting produce for export.
While rewarding, agriculture and horticulture work can be physically taxing and may involve heavy lifting, bending and walking long distances. Australia produces a wide range of fruit and vegetable crops across both small-scale and large commercial farms.
“The PALM scheme provides workers with the opportunity to earn money, learn new skills, gain qualifications, make new friends and experience the Australian way of life. However, individuals must decide for themselves whether the program is right for them,” Mr Nemani said.
Mr Rokoniu said his motivation for joining the scheme was to improve his family’s living conditions and future opportunities.
“I decided to move to Australia for work to help my family — to extend my house and help my brothers and sisters with their education,” he said.
“If I go back to Australia, my goal is to buy a family car and lease some land nearby to plant sugarcane.”