Organic veggies miss out on price rise following January's heat

In the mainstream fresh vegetable market, Mick Macedone, the owner of Broome's Fruit & Vegetables in Griffith, said his long time relationships with suppliers and growers are what has been allowing him to avoid having to raise his prices by large margins this year.

"We get pretty good deals off our suppliers we have been with them for quite a few years and they are at a situation where they are being forced to (sell at) lower prices too," Mr Macedone said.

RELATED READING

"For the amount of handling and storage facilities needed for vegetables, it's still cheaper than any other commodity."

Having sold veggies in Griffith for more than 40 years, Mr Macedone said growers in the MIA will have a battle ahead of them in order to be able to make their growing more cost effective when dealing with drought and higher prices for water.

Mr Macedone said this year tomatoes have been one of his most difficult products to manage, having to buy them from Queensland following losses around Shepparton following January's heat wave.

Organic growers have also been extremely hard hit by drought and January's heatwave with Coleambally organic grower Brendan Murray agreeing the market has been poor.

A grower of organic pumpkins, zucchinis, and onions Mr Murray said unlike most vegetable a drop in demand has prevented himself and other growers of organics from being able to keep their prices at a sustainable rate.

"Probably on average I've been selling at about $7 less per box this year, a box is 10 kilograms so It's $0.70 per kilogram cheaper" Mr Murray said.

"Normally it might be like that for a few weeks and then the price goes back up but this year it's been like this since the start of December."

Meanwhile, increases in the price of water, power and packaging supplies have also been plaguing his business since 2015.

"Normally I'd average around 15 tonnes a week and this year I have probably averaged around eight to nine, there's less supply and I have had more trouble trying to move the products as well," Mr Murray said.

Mr Murray said he is not planning on growing any winter crops and is currently considering taking a year off farming and find work elsewhere.

"I've put two of my permanent workers off and I'm (losing) a third one once we finish the season, It's extremely hard to replace their them (and their) understanding of how our operation works," Mr Murray said.