Australians paying $2 for a lemon

Australian media reported that shoppers in Bundaberg, Queensland were paying as much as $2 for a lemon this week. According to local growers they are certainly not getting that much and it is the middlemen who are pocketing the profits.

The domestic supply was down this season in Queensland due to flooding early in the year and frost in August, but it not unusual for Australian lemons to be off the market at this time of the year and it is most likely US lemons in the shops.

Ben O'Brien from Albert E Chave who trade in the Brisbane market as well as exporting to Asia Pacific, Dubai and New Zealand, said they are importing US lemons at the moment which are selling at $65-70 per carton.

"Local fruit has been short and the quality has been soft. Its normally like this but this year its worse for Australian lemon supply. We will see Queensland growers starting mid December but really won't crank up until mid January," explains O'Brien.

He also confirms that lemons are retailing at $2 a piece.