Bitter fruit: the dark underside of the booming NSW blueberry industry

Blueberry farms have become an increasingly common sight across the rolling hills of the NSW mid-north coast. Photograph: Elise Derwin

Ian*, a retired farmer, refers to the two Solomon Islanders living on his farm as “emancipated slaves”. He met James* sitting on the veranda of a house near a blueberry farm on the NSW mid-north coast. He stopped to chat, as he does with many of the blueberry workers in the area.

James explained that he was in debt to the farmer for repairs on his car. His passport had been taken, his wages docked and he had no money for food.