Coles and Woolworths, two of Australia's largest supermarket chains, have addressed concerns about potential vegetable price increases during the Christmas season following a destructive storm in Queensland. The storm, described as "tornado-like," severely damaged crops in the Lockyer Valley, affecting up to 40 growers and causing significant losses to pumpkins, melons, green beans, chokos, sweet corn, shallots, and broccolini crops.
The storm's impact led to speculation of a potential price surge for these vegetables during the holiday period, a worrying prospect for many Australians already grappling with other rising costs. In response to these concerns, Yahoo Finance reached out to both supermarkets to understand the storm's potential impact on vegetable prices.
A Coles spokesperson confirmed that while some of their growers were affected, leading to a potentially limited supply of baby broccoli, they have multiple vegetable growers in the region who were not impacted. They assured that they would continue to offer baby broccoli and other fresh produce, thanks to their national network of suppliers designed to avoid shortages during such events. The spokesperson also highlighted their weekly value offers, including sweet corn, iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes, ensuring customers that they will continue to provide value for money.
Woolworths also acknowledged the impact of the storm on some of their growers' crops. However, they clarified that not all growers in the region were affected, and many of their main growers were not impacted. While customers may see some supply issues with broccolini, the supermarket reassured them that they would continue to have broccoli and all other fresh vegetables available.
Source: Yahoo Finance