With the cherry season soon to start, and COVID-19 restrictions on international travel stopping overseas pickers participating this year, growers need help.

Agriculture minister David Littleproud visited a Nashdale orchard on Thursday to encourage young people, and grey nomads, to fill the void.

He said the government was offering relocation allowances of up to $6000 and opening up Youth Allowance and ABSTUDY criteria to encourage people off their couches and onto Central West farms.

"This is an incentive to get them out and have a crack and see the country," he said.

"Farmers aren't looking for charity, they're interested in workers, they [workers] will get paid and at the end of it there is an incentive for next year to go back to uni, have a quid in your pocket, cashed up ready to study and have a bit of fun on the side with some dollars in your pocket."

Mr Littleproud said young people were looking at work in cafes and fast food outlets rather than farms. He said the government hoped to have details of the number of workers needed in each area by the end of the month.

Member for Calare Andrew Gee called on young people in Orange to ring orchards and seek the jobs.

"The jobs pay well and they are here locally," he said. "We need to get this crop off this summer, we need to get the crop harvested and we need to get our produce to market."

He said some orchards were getting a lot of calls but others needed help.

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