Farm produce in high demand as Covid bites in big retailers’ supply chain

With the big supermarket chains struggling to cart produce across the country vendors at the Cobb and Co Farmers Markets were run off their feet as hungry residents snapped up everything on offer.

Phil LaBrie from Kobblevale Hermitage Angus sells out of lamb quickly at the Toowoomba Farmers Market. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Saturday at the Cobb and Co farmers’ market was a profitable day for Jandowae lamb producer Phil LaBrie.

His stall was picked clean by 10am as hungry shoppers looked for fresh meat amid shortages on the big retailers’ shelves.

“This is our only point of sale, and it’s been good,” Mr La Brie said.

“We have just come through seven years of drought, so we are very short of stock, and the demand is that high at the moment it is unreal.”

Along with lamb, Ms LaBrie also runs pigs and cattle on his farm – Kobblevale.

Like most producers he had to sell most of his cattle at the height of the drought and is now slowly building back his herd.

He was down from 350 breeders to 30 and is now back to about 80.

“We started selling our meat at the market when the cattle prices were really low, so we could value-add,” Mr LaBrie said.

“It has been a good little side business, but since Covid started it has been really, really strong.”

Part of the demand is the public’s greater focus on health, especially amid the Covid crisis.

“I think customers like coming to an outdoor event – it feels a bit safer” Mr LaBrie said.

“Also they like knowing where their food comes from.

“They like talking to the farmer and knowing what chemicals I have used on the animals, especially with lamb,” Mr La Brie said.