Fruit and vegetable prices 'could double' in a decade as power and energy costs grow

Australians are being warned that the price of fresh fruit and vegetables could double within a decade, as farmers face increasing pressure from rising labour, electricity costs and weather extremes.

Some growers have resorted to planting b-grade s
tunted and burnt runners, just to get plants in the ground.

At Luigi Coco's Elimbah strawberry farm near Caboolture in Queensland, many of the paddocks that should be filled with a million young plants are still empty.

And drought ravaged strawberry nurseries at Stanthorpe in south-east Queensland are running weeks behind schedule.

Read the story from ABC News by Jennifer Nichols and  Lydia Burton - “Fruit and vegetable prices 'could double' in a decade as power and energy costs grow.”

Supermarket giants step up war on plastic, waste

Supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths are stepping up their war on plastic, introducing new targets to slash the amount of wrapping on fresh fruit and vegetables as well as tackling food waste.

Coles pledged to reduce plastic wrapping on fruit and vegies.

The retailers on Monday committed to going further than their previous announcements to ditch single-use plastic bags in response to demands from consumers.

Read the story by Belinda Tasker from The Age - “Supermarket giants step up war on plastic, waste.”

How Cyclone Debbie exposed the perfect storm awaiting Australia's food supply

Cyclone Debbie, which lashed the Queensland coast a week ago, has hit farmers hard in the area around Bowen – a crucial supplier of vegetables to Sydney, Melbourne and much of eastern Australia.

Malcolm Turnbull looks at damaged and flooded areas
from aboard an Australian Army helicopter after
 Cyclone Debbie passed through the area
near the town of Bowen. 

With the Queensland Farmers’ Federation estimating the damage at more than $100m and winter crop losses at 20%, the event looks set to affect the cost and availability of fresh food for millions of Australians. Growers are reportedly forecasting a price spike in May, when the damaged crops were scheduled to have arrived on shelves.

The incident also raises broader questions about the resilience of Australia’s fresh vegetable supply, much of which comes from a relatively small number of areas that are under pressure from climate and land use change.

Read The Guardian story - “How Cyclone Debbie exposed the perfect storm awaiting Australia's food supply.”

Water scarcity forces innovation from farmers

W

ater scarcity is driving California farmers to plant different crops. Growers are switching to more profitable, less-thirsty fruits, vegetables and nuts.

Nowhere is this truer than San Diego County, where water prices are some of the highest in the state.

Grapefruit trees shade the entrance to Triple B Ranches winery in northern San Diego County. The tasting room is a converted kitchen festooned with country knick-knacks.

Read the Environmental News Network  story - “California Farmers Switch to Less Thirsty Crops”.