Supermarkets in Australia are relaxing quality standards to aid flood-affected growers as the fresh produce industry scrambles to mitigate the effects wrought by disruptive weather patterns.
Major Australian supermarket operator Coles has agreed to temporarily modify quality standards for some lines of fresh produce, reported the Australian agricultural publication Farm Weekly.
The move came after discussions in which industry peak body Ausveg pushed for the retailer to temporarily modify quality standards for some types of produce.
According to the newspaper cold and wet weather since November had lead to quality and supply issues for broccoli, beans and cauliflower crops, while most recently lines in zucchini, lettuce, tomato, rock melon and sweet potato were affected.
Ausveg public affairs manager Hugh Tobin told the Farm Weekly consumers would not notice large changes in the quality of produce at Coles stores following the relaxing of quality controls.
The changes, however, could prevent growers seeing entire crops go to waste, he said, and would mean more fruit and vegetables were available to consumers.
The newspaper reported that Woolworths, Australia’s other main supermarket operator, would review its specifications on a case by case basis if supplies became short, but at this stage the company stated it was not having significant difficulty sourcing produce.
Meanwhile, many growers are saying reports of impending price spikes of certain lines were being overblown in the media.
In a report in the Sydney Morning Herald New South Wales Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries chief executive Colin Gray said wholesalers could prevent any major price increases by sourcing produce from areas in the country not affected by flooding.
“While there may be a problem in one particular area, you will find there is plenty available from the southern states,” he said.
Others argued, however, that it was too early to speculate on how flooding and poor growing conditions would affect prices in the coming months.
Harris Farm Market’s buying director Tristan Harris told the Sydney Morning Herald many growers affected by flooding would not know the extent of damage to their crops for days or even weeks, adding that disease could now affect any crops not lost to flood waters.
“Hot, humid and wet conditions like this are notorious for bringing about disease and if they can’t treat that quickly there’s every chance they’re going to lose it.”
According to the Farm Weekly, Brent Finlay, the president of Queensland farm group AgForce, estimated flooding in the south east of Queensland had caused around A$1bn in damage to crops and farming equipment.
