The national association of cider and perry producers released a new position statement proposing a simple and effective eligibility test that ensures the rebate directly benefits agricultural communities while also cutting Government expenditure.

Cider Australia president, Sam Reid, said, “The purpose of the WET rebate is to support rural and regional producers, so it makes sense that the rebate should only be available to producers that use Australian juice. There is a huge difference in the economic activity generated by the production of Australian craft cider and perry using 100% Australian grown fruit compared to ciders made from imported juice concentrate, particularly in regional Australia.”

“Australian Craft cider may only count for between 5-10% of the cider produced in Australia, with the rest made from cheap imported juice concentrate, but the craft cider industry is punching above its weight when it comes to supporting our growers,” Reid noted. “It’s easy to see the positive impacts of the craft cider industry on prices, eating fruit quality and local industry diversity, but its production is also driving growth in tourism, regional employment and a host of other ventures.”

Cider Australia reported that the Federal Government will soon consult on the implementation of the WET rebate reform package announced in the May Federal Budget.

“We are concerned that attempts to limit eligibility for the rebate could wipe out many of our smaller producers and stifle innovation and growth in the cider category,” Reid said. “Cider Australia does not support announced cuts in the annual rebate cap for producers that use Australian grown fruit, particularly during the embryonic stage of industry development. It’s time to level the playing field so that craft cider producers have some chance of competing with producers that use significant imported ingredients.”