The new Horticultural Industry Award 2010 is sure to increase costs for farmers, who will now be required to pay penalty rates of 200 percent on Sundays, adhere to a 38-hour working week, and a standard working week of Monday to Friday, 6am to 6pm.

Mangoes continue to be harvested on the Atherton Tablelands, as the season, which has been described by grower Sam Nastasi as not too bad, draws to a close.

"The changes to the award are only going to make it worse for us farmers, not better," Mr Nastasi said.

"Fruit and vegetables are perishable and if they need to be picked, they need to be picked, regardless of the day.

"Farmers will need to decide if we let fruit fall on the ground or take the risk and pay double time on a Sunday and send it with the risk of chains stores giving lower prices if they want to run a sale."

Mr Nastasi highlighted the fact that fruit and vegetable growers are price getters not price setters, so any further costs to the industry make it tougher to maintain a stable income.

In the meantime, picking and packing continues on farms across the State.

"We'll be picking until the end of January," Mr Nastasi said.

"There has been a shortage of trucks to collect fruit this season, although that has not affected us."

Mr Nastasi is a third-generation farmer on his family's property at Bilwon, north of Mareeba.

The Nastasi family, including Sam and his parents and siblings, manage 17,500 trees which are planted on 260 hectares.

As well as the farm, the family operates a mango winery called Golden Pride Winery.

Their range includes still and sparkling white wines and also liqueurs.

Any fruit that is not used in the production of the wine is either sold to be distributed to supermarkets or sold to Golden Circle to be used in juices.