Australian fruit and vegetables are currently strong indicators of the rising cost of living.
Last week it was lettuce that stung shoppers at the check-out, this week it’s berries.
Farmers across the nation say they too are doing it tough with recent record-setting rainfall to blame.
“Every weekend since January, Christmas, it’s just kept the paddocks too wet to get out and plough,” said Queensland farmer Butch Guinea.
Guinea spent the morning at Cararra markets on the Gold Coast where prices are down, but only slightly.
“A lady came in and bought three punnets earlier, and I said do you know the price of these things. And she said yeah it’s cheap isn’t it. And I thought, dear lord, it’s bad when people are happy with the prices at that,” he said.
Rachel McKenzie from Berries Australia said impacts are having a flow on effect.
“To not have their income starting at the beginning of May or early June is really problematic for them and it flows onto the consumer,” she said.
On top of the weather, the on-going conflict Russia has caused in Ukraine is ramping up farmers costs.
Ukraine is a source of key fertiliser ingredients, while Russia is the world’s biggest exporter.
“You never know if you’re going to make money or lose money,” Queensland farmer Kevin Gilbert said.
