Farmers to reap rewards from consumer shift towards health promoting products

Research reveals how quickly COVID-19 has shifted consumer spending habits towards germ fighting and health promoting products, at the expense of environmental concerns.

Concerns about health are likely to out fresh fruit, vegetables and nuts at the top of shopping lists, according to new Nielsen research.

• Worker at Victorian poultry plant tests positive
• What you get as a The Weekly Times+ subscriber

THE global spread of coronavirus has quickly realigned consumer spending, and the focus on products that provide immunity and health protection is providing Australian horticultural producers with a golden opportunity.

Grower-owned research and development body Hort Innovation has found the monthly sales of fresh produce rose 5.1 per cent during March to a two-year high.

Nielson revealed vegetables were the key driver of fresh produce’s strong performance, with an increase of 15 per cent in sales in the four weeks to March 22.

Fresh vegetables led the charge, namely potatoes, carrots and onions, while fresh fruit sales declined, with berries, avocados and citrus sales well down on expectations.

Hort Innovation’s head of data and insights, Adam Briggs, said the fall in berry and avocado sales could be attributed to the average price of all fruit being almost 8 per cent more expensive compared with a year ago, potentially putting purchases of the fruit in the category of a discretionary item.

However, he urged all fresh fruit, vegetable and nut producers to capitalise on the consumer shift towards health-promoting goods.

“I think it’s important to emphasis the health benefits of consuming seasonal fruit and vegetables,” Mr Briggs said.

“What’s fresh and available now is what your immune system needs at that time in the year, so citrus and apples and pears in winter.

“So the message to growers now is to focus on the seasonal benefits and the specific nutritional components.”

Australian Table Grape Association chief executive Jeff Scott said the industry already leveraged off the fruit’s health properties.

“Grapes have powerful antioxidants, good sugars, and that’s a marketing focus for us,” he said.

Nielsen analysts has also revealed global purchasing patterns have rapidly shifted to products claiming to kill germs and promote health.

To take advantage of these trends, Hort Innovation has developed a whole-of-horticulture marketing campaign to boost shoppers’ purchasing habits for fruit, vegetables and nuts, called “The Good Mood Food”.

MORE:

FARMING’S BEST CONDITIONS IN DECADES

AGRICULTURE IN THE FRONT SEAT IN INDONESIA-AUSTRALIA TRADE DEAL

TOMATO PRODUCER TO GROW FIRST VICTORIAN CUCUMBERS