Fresh produce problem deepens as new common vegetable disappears from Aussie shelves
Supermarket vegetable shortages continue in the lead up to Christmas, meaning many Aussie families may have to rethink their Christmas roasts.
Zucchinis are the latest vegetable in short supply.
A customer notice at Coles informing shoppers of the shortage read: "Due to extreme weather in the growing regions there may be limited availability of Green Zucchini.
Zucchinis are the latest vegetable in short supply. Nine/Coles
"We are working closely with our growers to improve supply as quickly as possible.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused."
Ali Choker, Managing Director of St George Food Distributors, tells nine.com.au the shortage is temporary and because in the "last few weeks Queensland stock had finished" and we are moving to "New South Wales stock and Victorian stock at the moment".
"Supply has gotten much better and will continue to get better as the week goes on."
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"We are working closely with our growers to improve supply as quickly as possible." Nine/Coles
This isn't currently being reflected in supermarkets when some zucchini displays remain sparse or bare.
Choker warned as the weather warms up there may be "slight issues with certain" zucchini crops but "time will tell".
Josh Ball from Farmer's Pick confirms they too are struggling with the "classic seasonal handover".
"With capsicums and zucchinis, we're seeing the classic seasonal handover hit a few speed bumps. North Queensland has wrapped up for the year, and normally Bundaberg would take the baton right about now, but it's been absolutely hammered with rain and cold snaps. Even yesterday, the first day of summer, it was raining and people were working in jumpers, which tells you everything you need to know about how this season's going.
Josh Ball from Farmer's Pick confirms they too are struggling with the 'classic seasonal handover'. Getty
"Those conditions slow everything down. Crops don't develop properly when it's cold and wet, so the start of the summer harvest gets pushed back. Zucchinis are in the same boat as capsicums because they're grown in all the same regions.
"Bundaberg, Gatton, the Lockyer Valley, and all of them have had this weird, extended winter weather hanging around.It's just one of those shoulder period realities: we're shifting production from the north down to the south, but the weather hasn't really shifted with us. Until things warm up and dry out, supply will stay a bit tighter than usual."
In the meantime, Aussie shoppers will need to wait and see what availability is like throughout the festive season and adjust their meal plans accordingly.
While fresh zucchini can be frozen, when defrosted, it will softer and more suited to soups, casseroles and baked goods rather than roasted or in salads.
Zucchini prices are reflecting the current shortage. They currently cost $5.90 - $7.90 per kilo at Coles or $15 per kilo for organic.
Woolworths is charging $1.18 per zucchini and Aldi has zucchini priced at $1.20 each or $3.99 for a pack of three.
Choker warned as the weather warms up there may be 'slight issues with certain' zucchini crops. Nine/Coles
Locals in Drouin, Victoria, took to Facebook to try and find zucchinis, with one shopper commenting supermarkets "just can't order enough".
Another was hoping to get their hands on a box of them from a local market, if supplies allowed.
Others reported intermittent supplies at their local Aldi and Woolworths stores. Another has taken to using packets of Spaghetti Squash in the meantime.
Other recent vegetable shortages include red capsicums and sweet potatoes. Once again a Coles customer notice pointed to "extreme weather in growing regions" as the cause.
A Coles outlet in Sydney had a small amount of green capsicums in stock, but no red or yellow.
A nearby Aldi store didn't have any capsicums at all. Woolworths' website lists red and yellow capsicums as "out of stock".
A vegetable expert named Eliza Seymour, who shares TikTok content on her channel called The Veggie Scientist, explained in a recent video that red capsicums are simply ripened green capsicums.
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A Coles outlet in Sydney had a small amount of green capsicums in stock, but no red or yellow. Nine
Sweet potatoes have also been in short supply over recent weeks. Nine
She said because green capsicums were selling for a high price a few weeks ago, farmers picked them for sale, meaning none were left to ripen into red capsicums, leading to the shortage and price hikes.
Sweet potatoes have also been in short supply in recent weeks.
A Coles spokesperson told nine.com.au at the time: "Queensland's extreme weather earlier this year have led to a shorter-than-usual supply during this transition period.
"The good news is that with warmer days ahead across the eastern states, we can expect to see improved availability in the coming weeks".
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