Lettuce will remain in short supply and at elevated prices until around August: Woolworths

Woolworths warns the shortage of lettuce, which has led to prices rocketing to $12, is set to continue until late August, while supplies of other produce remains low.

Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci is witnessing shortages of key fruit and vegetables at the nation’s largest supermarket chain with lettuce supplies not expected to improve until late August. Picture: Adam Yip

Australian shoppers will have to wait until late August to see any improvement in lettuce supplies with the eye watering prices paid for a single head of lettuce likely to remain a topic of conversation for several more weeks.

Other key fruit and vegetables from strawberries and blueberries to zucchini and capsicum are also expected to be in short supply for the next month or two, retail giant Woolworths has revealed.

Wet and cold weather as well as disrupted planting schedules will keep lettuce in short supply at the nation’s largest supermarket, Woolworths, however the retailer believes the current shortage that has seen lettuce prices rocket to $12 a head will improve and recover by August.

The spectre of rampant food inflation caused by poor growing conditions, floods, labour shortages and other supply chain disruptions has been most evident in the lack of availability of lettuce at the supermarkets in the last few months as well as the soaring price for a single head of lettuce.

In an update to shoppers from Woolworths general manager of fruit and vegetables, Paul Turner, said while challenges continue, the retailer’s leading iceberg lettuce and spinach growers are telling it that customers can expect to see improved availability over the next month.

Mr Turner said lettuce and spinach continue to be in very short supply, but both should start to recover in the next few months.

“Wet and cold weather has caused delayed planting and slower overall growth. Woolworths expects its iceberg and spinach supply to recover around the end of July, while cos (lettuce) should improve towards the end of August.”

Such has been the dramatic decline in supply of lettuce and its skyrocketing price that many food chains, such as Subway and KFC, have begun to substitute cabbage for lettuce in some of the meals.

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Meanwhile, more broadly the adverse weather conditions continue to play havoc with fruit and vegetable supplies, Mr Turner said.

“Many growers are still experiencing the effects of heavy rain from earlier this year. This has pushed back the planting and harvesting of crops, with reduced availability continuing to be exacerbated by cooler temperatures and low levels of sunlight.”

In terms of other key produce, the Woolworths update said green bean supply remains limited, however crops are in recovery. Improved availability is expected in August.

For zucchini, capsicum, kale, silverbeet and leafy Asian vegetables, these lines have been affected by cooler weather. Woolworths expects shelves will be better stocked next month for these vegetables.

Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries availability and quality is expected to improve around the end of July, Woolworths said.

Western Australia has more availability given the majority of fresh produce for the state comes from within, which has not experienced the same growing impacts as the eastern seaboard.

Woolworths last month warned that soaring prices for key fruit and vegetables that have already put a rocket under grocery prices and the nation’s inflation rate could worsen heading into winter as poor growing conditions marked by heavy rain and low sunlight further strangles supplies of supermarket essentials.