Vic farmer quits growing veg after scathing attack on supermarket price gouging

A Victorian farmer who made headlines for highlighting the massive gap between farm gate prices and costs at the checkout says he will no longer sell vegetables because he’s “being ripped off”.

A Victorian farmer who launched a scathing attack on the major supermarkets for price gouging has quit growing vegetables.

Natural Earth Produce Toolamba zucchini farmer Ross Marsolino made headlines after highlighting the massive gap between lowball prices at the farm gate and the price at the checkout.

Mr Marsolino has now revealed he has quit farming eggplants, zucchinis and tomatoes because he was sick of going to be knowing the supermarkets had “ripped me off”.

Mr Marsolino has now revealed he has quit farming eggplants, zucchinis and tomatoes.

“I refuse to sell vegetables knowing that the product has gone into their stores and I have been ripped off,” he said.

“Why would I sell zucchinis for $1.50 a kilo to $2 a kilo ... Coles is currently selling zucchinis for $5.90 per kilo.

“Nothing has happened and it won’t change, not while we have a Labor government.”

Mr Masolino is now growing lucerne or Alfalfa to avoid dealing with the supermarkets.

“The only disappointing part is that I have only have two employees instead of 150,” he said.

Nationals leader David Littleproud said the party warned a year ago that farmers like Mr Masolino would walk away if they didn’t get their fair share from the supermarkets.

Mr Marsolino has hit out at supermarkets for price gouging. Picture: Instagram

Mr Littleproud said in 2025, that threat was being realised because farmers were “understandably fed up”.

“Labor has been too slow to act, forcing farmers like Ross to leave the industry,” Mr Littleproud said.

“There will be no practical changes when it comes to our farmers and supermarkets until April this year. The cost-of-living crisis for families and farmers is now, not in April.

“Even when Labor’s Code comes into effect, the changes will do little to stop price gouging, with inadequate infringement notice penalties of just $198,000, compared with the Coalition’s planned infringement notice penalties of $2m for supermarkets who do the wrong thing.”