Wilsons Fruit and Vegetables says high cost vegetables may continue before decreasing

The expensive cost of an iceberg lettuce, which has seen a price tag of up to $6.50 at many stores in Ballarat, has got consumers wondering why.

Wilsons Fruit and Vegetables general manager business development Mel Fulcher said the Queensland floods, transport and fertiliser costs, and supply and demand were the main factors.

She said this rare event, where all the factors had combined to create a perfect storm, had been out of everyone's hands.

"We have changed seasons from Victoria to Queensland so this time of year there is usually a shortage of some products anyway as the seasons change over," Ms Fulcher said.

"Because Queensland had the floods earlier in the year they couldn't plant when they would have normally. They have then had really bad weather and things haven't grown as quickly as they normally would or things have been wiped out because of the rain."

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Ms Fulcher said because customers had not wanted to pay the price of lettuces, they had moved onto other greens, including spinach leaves which are not in season, creating a supply issue.

She said beans were hard to get so customers were buying broccoli but with the current weather in Victoria, broccoli prices were up.

"People have moved onto those which have then created a supply and demand issue which is what we have got at the moment. The harder something is to get, the more expensive it becomes. When things are easier to get, the lower the price," she said.

"They're certainly not jacking up the prices in the hope to make more money or anything like that. "In fact everyone is making less money because they are trying to keep prices as low as they can."

Wilsons Fruit and Vegetables is able to get hard-to-find products but unfortunately, this has increased the prices.

"The message we are trying to ask people is please continue to support your local green grocer and keep supporting those who are supporting local farmers and Australian farmers," Ms Fulcher said.

"Australian farmers are doing it really hard at the moment but we just need keep supporting them and hopefully get through this patch and we will see prices come down again.

"Unfortunately we have been told it could get worse before it gets better but if people try and stick to buying what naturally is in season they will find that product is cheaper.

"The fruit and veg industry is trying to keep prices as low as they can but this event has just been out of everyone's hands."

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