SPC deal has Vic fruit growers optimistic

Australians are buying more SPC fruit but it has come too late to help growers already cut loose.

Fruit growers were cautiously optimistic on Tuesday about SPC Ardmona's $70 million deal to supply 24,000 extra tonnes of produce to Woolworths.

Fruit Growers Victoria deputy chairman Gary Godwill said the announcement provided some hope, but he was waiting to see the details at a meeting later in March.

He said agricultural products across the board had been selling better over recent months.

"People are actually buying Australian now. It's a very good trend," he said.

Mr Godwill said there was some much-needed optimism among growers still producing fruit.

But he said the news would be bittersweet to the growers SPC had cut loose.

"A lot of them were angry at being sacked. They're probably angrier still now, knowing they should probably not have been sacked," Mr Godwill told AAP on Tuesday.

SPC cut contracts with suppliers, forcing some growers into bankruptcy, in late 2013.

Mr Godwill said growers would be able to meet demand, but they needed to know the prices SPC was offering.

SPC Ardmona was refused federal government assistance in January, but later received a $25 million package from the Victorian government.