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Cyclone Debbie could hit supermarket prices

It’s very likely the effects of Cyclone Debbie will be felt most at the supermarket.

Australians could be hit with higher prices for fresh food like tomatoes and bananas because of ruined crops and flood damage.

The north Queensland region is known as Australia’s winter food bowl.
The price of produce is likely to go up due to the effects of Cyclone Debbie.

<span class="article-figure-source">Sugar cane crops may also suffer. Photo: 7 News</span>
Sugar cane crops may also suffer. Photo: 7 News

Sugar cane crops are barely holding on from Ayr in the north, to 300 kilometres south in Mackay.

They’re just a few weeks away from being harvested, unless Cyclone Debbie gets in first, which would be devastating for the region.


National Farmers’ Federation President Fiona Simson said: “It could well be well over a billion dollars worth of damage”.

<span class="article-figure-source">Food prices are likely to go up due to Cyclone Debbie. Photo: 7 News</span>
Food prices are likely to go up due to Cyclone Debbie. Photo: 7 News

That includes the impact on food and vegetable crops, particularly in Bowen.

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Food wholesaler Shaun McInerney said during winter time Bowen feeds Australia.

“There’s tomatoes, capsicums, chillies, eggplant, 36 beans, corn, rock melon, honey dew.

Also read: Cyclone Debbie: CBA provide emergency assistance package for ‘catastrophe’

Thankfully, most still haven’t been planted, or have only just gone in the ground.
The part of north Queensland effected by the cyclone is known as Australia’s “winter food bowl”.

Some growers moving their seedlings under cover for protection.

While they desperately need drenching rains, flooding is a major concern.

“They’ll have to wait for the water to subside and the ground to be relatively firm to get their machinery in and their tractors in to start their planting schedule,” Mr McInerney said.


<span class="article-figure-source">Farmers are concerned about how they will be impacted. Photo: 7 News</span>
Farmers are concerned about how they will be impacted. Photo: 7 News

Any delay in planting will almost certainly affect supply – right around Australia.
We’re being told to expect shortages for some fruits and vegetables that could last up to a month.

And that means higher prices.

Also read: How high can interest rates go this year, realistically?

Homebush grocer David Tobey said prices will “probably go up to $9, $10 a kilo for good quality tomatoes”.

<span class="article-figure-source">Food wholesaler Shaun McInerney said Bowen feeds Ausralia in the winter. Photo: 7 News</span>
Food wholesaler Shaun McInerney said Bowen feeds Ausralia in the winter. Photo: 7 News

The cost of bananas could rise too not because of damage to crops like we saw during Cyclone Yasi.

But damage to roads potentially cutting off plantations further north.