Lately, the Queensland region has experienced extreme weather, leading to a disruption of fruit and sugarcane production cycles. This is of great concern as a beloved summer fruit may be largely unavailable next year.
Jo Sheppard, Chief Executive of the Queensland Farmers’ Federation, spoke before a senate committee on the cost of living on Friday to address the situation.
The disruption of the production cycles is a result of unseasonal rains that have hit the area in recent weeks. Sheppard noted the extreme weather has caused an inability to properly harvest the fruit, which in turn, will result in a significant reduction of yields in the upcoming year.
Ms Sheppard stated the early flowering of pineapples had caused a momentary surplus in production, but the longer planning time frames used by pineapple growers could bring about a long-term deficiency in a year’s time.
The impact of this event is far-reaching, as it will affect not only the farmers who rely on the fruit for their livelihoods, but also consumers who depend on the fruit for sustenance.
Sheppard argued the cost of living would be greatly impacted by the lack of availability of the fruit. With fewer fruits being produced, prices are expected to rise and put strains on consumers’ budgets.
At Friday’s senate committee hearing, a number of stakeholders shared their concerns about the cost of living in Australia. Samantha McCulloch, chief executive of the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, harshly criticized the Albanese government’s gas price intervention.
Ms McCulloch declared the government’s move to impose a price ceiling on new contracts for bulk gas in December was “worsening, instead of resolving” the problem of increasing energy costs in Australia.