A troubling trend has emerged in agriculture: farmers are stuck with heaps of unsold produce, often left to rot because big supermarkets refuse to buy them. Rachel Chambers, the Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers chief executive, has sounded the alarm, accusing these major retailers of intentionally flooding the market with excessive quantities of food, leading to massive wastage.
According to Chambers, farmers are frequently urged to produce large amounts of fruits and vegetables, only to be met with disappointing news at harvest time – there simply isn’t enough demand. Shockingly, around 40 percent of the produce cultivated by these growers ends up in landfills.
Chambers boldly asserted, “We have presented the case—and I challenge retailers to prove me wrong—that they are purposefully saturating the market.”
These concerns have been echoed by the national peak body AUSVEG, which highlighted the issue in a recent submission to the senate inquiry on supermarket prices.
Responding to these accusations, a spokesperson for Woolworths emphasised that its supply projections are based on past customer demand and purchasing trends. They explained that oversupply issues extend beyond the growers it works with directly.
Coles, another major player, stressed their commitment to Australian farmers, often entering into agreements well in advance to ensure a balance between supply and demand.
But the repercussions of oversupply extend beyond just the farmers supplying the big retailers. Emma-Kate Rose, a Brisbane mother who co-founded the farmer-to-consumer co-op Food Connect, experienced firsthand the challenges small-scale farmers face. Despite their noble efforts to create a fairer system, rising costs and sluggish sales led to the collapse of their initiative.
Chambers further lamented the lack of awareness among politicians regarding the struggles of farmers. Despite numerous attempts to convey the challenges faced by the agricultural community, many policymakers seem unaware of the realities of the industry.
One particularly concerning misconception is the belief that farmers can simply pass on government levies and rebates to consumers without realising that supermarket giants ultimately dictate prices. Moreover, the dominance of these large retailers in the market leaves farmers with little knowledge of what their peers are being paid for similar products.
As Chambers emphasised, consumers often remain oblivious to the fact that discounts benefit farmers, not supermarkets.
Chambers asserted, “This is a systemic issue that has persisted for 15 years, and now is the time to address it.” He highlighted the situation’s urgency.
In essence, the plight of farmers facing oversupply and subsequent wastage demands attention and action from all stakeholders involved in the food supply chain.
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