Across Australia, prices for fresh fruit and vegetables are expected to soar over the coming weeks as supply chain woes continue to affect supermarkets. Flooding in March and this month’s heavy rain across Australia’s east coast has disrupted regular growing conditions and closed some roads, causing further delays. Lettuce, spinach, avocados, apples, strawberries, and raspberries have been the hardest hit, with some supermarkets in Queensland’s southeast having no supplies or selling stock at inflated prices.
Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, and IGA have apologized to customers, posting supply shortage notices over the weekend. A Coles spokeswoman stated yesterday, Thursday, that there were “a number of factors driving inflation for all retailers, including increases in the cost of raw materials, energy price rises, freight costs, extreme weather events, and ongoing Covid impacts.”
Woolworths fruit and vegetable general manager Paul Turner stated that price rises for some fresh produce, including lettuces, were expected to continue for four weeks due to the rain and floods.
Source: news.com.au