Growers in Queensland’s Lockyer Valley typically supply much of Australia’s lettuce crop during winter when the weather in southern farming regions is too cold. However,they have been hit with extreme rain over the last 12 months,wiping out crops that typically take at least 10 weeks to grow.
Bill Bulmer,a Victorian grower and chair of industry body AusVeg,said he had recently toured farms in Queensland.
“There was nothing out there in the fields,” Bulmer said.
Intermittent rains have made it harder to replant fresh crops as well,he said. That could result in a “yo-yo” effect where supply comes and goes over coming months.
Consumers have also been hit with exorbitant prices for the humble ingredient in the grocery aisles. Shoppers are venting on social media aboutpaying around $12 for a head of iceberg lettuce at independent stores,as well as steeper prices for other produce,with costs upward of $25 for a watermelon.
Woolworths and Coles are still both advertising $5.50 per head of iceberg lettuce,but it is unavailable in most Woolworths stores around inner Sydney and Melbourne,according to its website. A Coles spokesman would not comment specifically on lettuce supplies but said the company was supporting its growers in flood-affected areas.
From lettuce to poultry,2022 has seen a glut of food supply hiccups. KFC had tocut menu items in January amid shortages of chicken. Subway’s spokesman Rhys Reynolds confirmed that the sandwich chain was experiencing a fresh lettuce shortage. “We expect this to be a short-term inconvenience for our guests,” Reynolds said.