Across Australia, the cost of blueberries has notably increased, with reports from Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia highlighting a significant price point of $20 per punnet. This trend is mirrored in various locations, with prices reaching $16 in Sydney, $15 in Karratha, $13 in Mt Gambier, and an absence of the product in Darwin's major supermarkets.
Woolworths in Alice Springs has listed blueberries at $9.50, providing an explanation for the high prices due to a transitional period in the growing season leading to a supply gap. Perfection Fresh's CEO, Michael Simonetta, attributes the price surge to a combination of factors including weather conditions and a shift in production from southern to northern regions. He anticipates that prices will remain elevated for a few weeks before normalizing.
Similarly, strawberry prices are currently around $6 a punnet, with expectations of further increases. The Queensland Strawberry Growers Association notes that the state, which is the primary supplier of Australia's winter strawberries, has experienced production delays due to prolonged wet conditions and soil-borne diseases.
Source: abc.net.au
