Labour, shipping challenges, prompt Bendotti Exports at Manjimup to call force majeure on big overseas order

A major WA potato exporter has called force majeure over a 1000-tonne export order worth $750,000, amid a crippling labour shortage and ongoing shipping challenges. Steve Bendotti, owner of Manjimup’s Bendotti Exporters, said contract growers and his own farming operations could not source enough labour to grow and harvest their usual volumes of potatoes. Coupled with shipping challenges, there were considered too many risks with supplying the order to an important customer in Malaysia, Mr Bendotti said. “We had trouble with shipping delays last year, which meant some of the potatoes were starting to deteriorate by the time they reached their destination,” he said. “With ongoing issues with shipping, there is continued uncertainty.” Mr Benotti said the customer had been understanding. The potatoes, a crisping variety suitable to be processed into chips, would have been planted over September, October and November for delivery in February, March and April. The order represents about 8 per cent of Bendotti Exports’ usual annual output. He said no other contracted orders were currently at risk. Mr Bendotti supplies raw crisping potatoes to local and export markets, as well as processing chips at his own facility. Mr Bendotti said he needed about 30 workers to keep his farm and processing facility operating, but it was difficult to find committed people and turnover was as high as 10 people a week.