Yahoo Finance Cyclone Debbie's aftermath to be felt during Australian Easter feasts
Days out from the Easter long weekend, Australians face a serious fruit and vegetable shortage as Cyclone Debbie's aftermath is still being felt across east coast farms.
Debbie's aftermath has put a lot of pressure on supermarkets to source produce in time for the holiday season.
Australian shoppers have been warned to prepare for a spike in the price of fresh produce in coming weeks.
However, it’s not just Debbie causing headaches this Easter, with a cold snap in Victoria also taking its toll on supplies across the country.
Coles and Woolworths have apologised to customers over a lack of lettuce and broccolini available on shelves this Easter.
Queensland corn, soil destroyed
Queensland farms are recovering from the category four cyclone, after corn crops were left flattened and soil saturated to the point of destruction.
The devastation has been felt right across the board, with carrots, beans, broccoli and corn all seriously depleted.
With the demand for fresh produce as high as ever, farmers have called for a Queensland logo on locally grown produce to help encourage support for locals during the recovery efforts.
Adding to the farmers’ grief, the federal government has rejected the Queensland premier’s request to fast track disaster relief money.
South Australia overwhelmed with demand
Things aren’t any better in country’s south, with Adelaide shoppers facing the prospect of forking out $10 per kilo for tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers thanks to Cyclone Debbie.
That’s more than double what South Australian’s were paying this time last year.
High demand for produce across Australia means the rest of the country is now turning to South Australian farmers for fruit and vegetables.
“Due to the Queensland product not being available, the rest of the country will be calling on our growers,” grocer Paul Capobianco told 7 News.
The news is even worse if you were hoping to stock up on eggplants or zucchinis over Easter, with prices set to reach record highs.
Victoria's cold snap double-whammy
With their neighbours up east trying to keep their heads above water, 2017 could have been a year for Victorian farmers to thrive, but a cold snap means they too are facing mass shortages in vegetables.
Two weeks after Cyclone Debbie, her effects are now being felt thousands of kilometres down the coast.
The likes of capsicums, tomatoes, eggplants, pumpkins, cucumbers, beans, corn, sugar and lemons are now all going to see prices hikes in Victoria.
Despite the shortages, industry experts are urging consumers to stick with the local product, to help farmers recover in the short term, and to preserve competitive prices in the long term.
Slim pickings for New South Wales shoppers
For New South Wales residents, expect slim pickings if you do your veggie shopping at Woolworths.
Signs inside Sydney stores are advising shortages of sweet potatoes, Asian leaves and zucchini leaves and if you happen to get your hands on a broccoli or cauliflower, it’s going to be poor quality.
“I knew that it was coming, I mean you could tell even before they started announcing it,” one frustrated shopper told 7 News.
Woolworths says it will take another 4-6 weeks to see the full impact of recent weather events on stock. And shoppers are being warned they may have to tweak their grocery lists slightly, unless they're willing to pay higher prices.
