A shortage of bananas, Australia's most popular fruit, has emerged on supermarket shelves, coinciding with a decline in apple availability and the delayed arrival of summer stone fruit. This situation has arisen as cool weather in key Queensland growing regions has significantly slowed banana production, leaving major supermarkets like Coles, Woolworths, and Aldi with sparse displays or very green stock.
Current Situation
Anton van den Berg, co-founder of the grocery delivery service Box Divvy, noted that demand for bananas has not decreased as much as it typically does when supply drops. He stated,
“"Many people will buy bananas no matter what, and so the demand is not adjusting, leading to shortages."
Van den Berg explained that major supermarkets have kept demand elevated by maintaining prices at around $5 per kilo, which helps avoid deterring shoppers. Instead, they rely on a wide range of other grocery items to sustain profits.
In a note to shoppers, Woolworths acknowledged the situation, stating:
“"Recent weather in far north Queensland has slowed the growth of bananas. Stock may be limited this week, but fresh stock is arriving daily."
Coles was contacted for further comment.
