Within the 34 years that Tasmanian greengrocer Ben Parsons has been in enterprise, he has by no means seen potato costs as excessive as they’re now.
The value of a 500kg potato bin has virtually doubled from $250 just a few years in the past, however Mr Parsons has solely raised his costs for a 10kg sack of spuds by about 25 per cent – ​​shielding his prospects.
“It is the very best our costs have been for potatoes,” Mr Parsons advised The New Every day.
The squeeze is about to proceed, with Mr Parsons predicting Australia’s well-publicized potato shortagewhich began final yr when widespread floods worn out crops nationwide, will proceed in 2023.
“There can be a scarcity this yr – farmers are nonetheless catching up with plantings,” he mentioned.
However costs for broccoli, celery and carrots have eased not too long ago as provides have improved following disruptions throughout 2022.
“All these items are again to regular, pre-Covid costs,” Mr Parsons mentioned.
So far as fashionable Tasmanian fruits are involved, apple and cherry growers are prone to be pressured to jack up costs later this yr amid persistent labor shortages hurting their companies.
“Our greatest downside has been the labor market, it is impacting the specialty fruit business,” he mentioned.
Buyers look to cheaper cuts
For Mark Timms, proprietor of the Wyndham grocery store within the north-west of Western Australia, his greatest situation has been the recent floods that cut off the best road access to his group, making it very tough to maintain contemporary fruit, greens and meat on cabinets.
Prospects are shopping for cheaper cuts of meat, together with mutton and hen drumsticks over costlier cuts of beef, lamb and hen, Mr Timms advised The New Every day.
“We nonetheless promote loads of dearer cuts, however the stress on all beef and hen and lamb has been upwards for a few years now,” Mr Timms mentioned.
“Mutton remains to be comparatively low cost and pork hasn’t modified.”
In accordance with ABS figures, beef and veal costs rose 9 per cent within the 12 months to the December quarter of final yr, whereas pork costs rose four per cent – ​​under headline inflation.
Within the fruit and vegetable aisle, costs have been falling in latest months after hovering final yr on the again of disruptive floods throughout Australia’s east coast, Mr Timms mentioned.
“It has eased once more in the previous couple of weeks to some extent, tomatoes particularly have come down lots,” he mentioned.
Meat costs holding agency, largely
Kaaron Mitchell, proprietor of Pink Lake Butchers in Esperance, Western Australia, mentioned her prospects have additionally been shopping for cheaper cuts amid rising meat costs.
However she advised The New Every day that inflation has stabilized for protein within the early months of 2023.
“It has been fairly steady for the previous couple of months,” she mentioned. “However there was a major rise throughout COVID-19.”
Ms Mitchell mentioned she has been recommending prospects get extra artistic within the kitchen to keep away from the worst of the cost-of-living squeeze.
“You possibly can prepare dinner the whole lot from pulled pork to hen cacciatore, curried sausages and osso buco,” she mentioned. “It does not need to be scotch fillet each second evening.”
“Individuals need scotch fillet for steak sandwiches, however I say, ‘have you ever tried oyster blade?’.”
Ms Mitchell mentioned it is too early to inform how meat costs will change extra broadly in 2023, however she does count on lamb costs will begin to creep up once more heading into the winter and spring months.
“Costs have modified so considerably since I took the store over 12 years in the past,” Ms Mitchell mentioned.
“I see a few of our outdated invoices and am simply amazed by the outdated costs.”
