Heavy rain in South East Queensland has wreaked havoc on strawberry farms, with millions of dollars worth of fruit lost. Bellmere’s Taste ‘n’ See Strawberries, a family-run farm near Caboolture, has taken a brutal hit.
Grim images shared by the farm reveal the scale of the devastation, with four semi-trailer loads and two skip bins full of waterlogged strawberries—the equivalent of 216,000 punnets—sent to other farmers for livestock feed.
This catastrophe is crucial for growers, who typically recoup the costs of establishing their production systems for the winter-spring season. Co-owner Laura Wells estimates the damage equates to a million dollars in lost revenue, as the strawberries were destined for Coles supermarkets. Despite the financial blow, Ms Wells remains optimistic, focusing on her farm’s future and resilience.
Two blocks of land have been abandoned for the remainder of the season, a testament to the severity of the damage. Ms Wells acknowledges that few households could withstand such a loss but emphasises that their business has always planned for the long term, working on a seven-year average. Selling second-grade fruit was not a viable option due to the sheer scale of the damage and the additional costs involved in sorting and grading.
The impact of the unseasonal rain extends beyond Taste ‘n’ See. The coming weeks will reveal the extent of plant diseases and flower damage across south-east Queensland, where the bulk of Australia’s winter strawberries are produced.
Queensland Strawberry Growers’ president Adrian Schultz, says it’s too early to determine the full extent of the losses or the effect on retail prices. While an influx of second-grade fruit could drive prices down, the scarcity of high-quality strawberries could lead to price increases.
In the meantime, produce shops and pick-your-own farms are selling second-grade fruit for jams and smoothies. Gary Norris, ‘The Mango Man’ in Noosaville, selling seconds for a small farm, laments the financial toll on farmers, highlighting the disconnect between consumers who complain about produce prices and the harsh realities of farming.
The rain’s impact isn’t limited to strawberries. Raspberries, blueberries, and lettuce grown in the Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions have also been affected. Businesses like Rural Earthworms work with packing sheds to utilise the waste generated.
Back at Taste ‘n’ See, Laura Wells finds a silver lining amidst the devastation, expressing gratitude for full dams and the prospect of lush grass. Her focus remains on the future and the farm’s recovery.
Published Date 18-August-2024
Photo Credit: Taste N See/ Instagram
