Australia: Coronavirus pandemic drives demand for local fresh produce

At this point in time, Australian consumers appear to be rushing to boost their immunity with locally grown vegetables. For Mr Ipsen, who is based in the West Australian food bowl of Manjimup, this means he is kind of working in one of the few industries enjoying a windfall from the COVID-19 pandemic.

"This season has been really good … with the latest impacts with coronavirus and health issues, vegetables are a vitamin pill themselves," he said. "But I think that's widespread too, other people are telling me the same thing.

“Mr Ipsen said after years of volatility the stars had aligned to position the industry to reap the benefits of strong demand, solid prices and high-quality produce.

Fruit and vegetables help prevent illness

Dietitians have expressed encouragement regarding consumer behavior, emphasizing the health benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables in preventing illness and disease. Margaret Hays from the Australian Dietitians Association highlighted the importance of consuming fresh produce for boosting immunity and preventing sickness. She advised people aiming to protect themselves and their families from illnesses, including coronavirus, to maintain a healthy diet. Hays recommended incorporating two pieces of fruit a day, up to five servings of vegetables, lean meats, fish, chicken, vegetarian sources of proteins like nuts and seeds, and low-fat dairy products into their diet.

Supermarket demand grows

Vegetables WA chief executive John Shannon said that while not all primary producers were benefiting, the majority of the state's Midwest and South West were in a good position to capitalise on growing demand.

"We're hearing anecdotally that supermarkets are selling a large amount of fresh produce, as well as the canned produce, because consumers are lining themselves up to improve their immune systems," he told abc.net.au.

Lack of overseas workers

However, the horticulture industry relies on overseas labour, and while availability of workers is steady now, some producers expect it could affect the workforce in coming months.

"We'll probably have threats to the availability of labour, so while it's great to see consumption levels staying high, let's be realistic about where this may lead for the industry into the longer term," Mr Shannon said.