AUSTRALIAN horticulture's political lobby group has collapsed, leaving the industry without a voice in Canberra.

The Horticulture Australia Council has shut down day-to-day operations, due to a lack of funding, and will revert to a "taskforce-style" operation.

HAC's only employee, chief executive Kris Newton, finished work last week.

Ms Newton's hours had been reduced to one day a week last month as the organisation's money ran out.

The Weekly Times revealed in September last year that HAC was in deep financial trouble.

A source close to HAC, who did not wish to be named, said the organisation would effectively become operational as a taskforce "if an issue comes up".

"It (the wind-up) is not unexpected," the source said.

"Few industries were willing to fund it (via membership fees), mainly due to the effect of drought."

HAC board member and Apple and Pear Australia general manager Tony Russell said HAC was not bankrupt, "but if we kept Kris on, we would have been".

He said a new proposal to raise fees from industry to pay for HAC would be examined as part of a potential restructure.

Mr Russell said growers should be able to choose to send their levies to political representation - to fund a body such as HAC - but said there was "no point challenging it because you'll get nowhere" (with government).

He said part of the reason governments did not want levies used for political lobbying was that the lobby group could criticise them.

Fruit Growers Victoria general manager John Wilson said horticulture needed "a presence in Canberra".

"We need a 'whole of horticulture' voice," Mr Wilson said.

"A taskforce would be only part of the solution."

The way forward for HAC involved "thinking outside the square" and raising money other ways, perhaps charging a fee for running conferences, he said.

HAC was embroiled in controversy last year when Ms Newton urged senators to allow an increase in Australian Quarantine Inspection Service fees following the offer of a $20 million adjustment incentive from Agriculture Minister Tony Burke.

Exporters and Summerfruit Australia accused HAC of "treachery" over the incident.