Christmas dinner bargains: What’s cheap and what’s in shortfall this year

Farmers have faced multiple challenges when getting produce to the Christmas table this season. These are the prices you can expect to pay.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a few iconic staples: cookies and milk for Santa, a smoking hot barbecue, and a table laden with the bounty of an Australian summer.

And while seasonal conditions and trade disruptions may have created snags in supply throughout the year, customers can still expect to find all the classics of an Australian Christmas when shopping in the coming weeks.

With just over a week until the big day, The Weekly Times takes a look at what to expect when shopping for Christmas lunch this year.

HAM AND TURKEY

After the outbreak of avian flu earlier this year created major disruptions for Victoria’s chicken and egg industries, supply of turkey could also be tight as shoppers make their final preparations for Christmas.

3Js Butcher Deli owner Joel Young said his Traralgon-based butcher has been busy securing hams and turkey roasts for consumers in the final weeks before Christmas.

He said with many producers forced to significantly cull birds in the wake of the avian flu outbreak, prices and supply would test shoppers this year.

“There’s a really big shortfall,” Mr Young said.

“We have a pretty good relationship with our supplier, and our price hasn’t really fluctuated. We committed to market prices in the middle of the year, for retail in the coming weeks to pay $15/kg for a whole bird I’d be snatching that up.”

While recent disruptions at Woolworths saw supermarket shelves stripped of stock, Mr Young said shorter supply chains in the regions meant his butcher store was flush with hams, pork, and other products, at a reasonable price.

“We’re in a fortunate position in Gippsland in general that we’re a bit of a food bowl. We’re lucky to have our hand in with a lot of producers and suppliers,” Mr Young said.

Consumers can expect to pay around $24/kg for a boneless smoked ham at 3Js Butcher, Mr Young said, a price that’s “pretty competitive” with major supermarkets.

“It’s probably better bang for your buck. There are hams being made throughout the year, whereas our are being smoked off this weekend, right up until Christmas,” Mr Young said.

Christmas hams will be in bountiful supply this season, at a reasonable price. Picture: Nigel Hallett

FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

An Australian Christmas coincides neatly with the summer fruit crop, making tropical fruit like mangoes and beautiful berries a glorious addition to the Christmas table.

This season, the Melbourne Market is set to trade more than 700 tonnes of potatoes, 170 tonnes of carrots, 500 tonnes of mangoes and berries, and up to 200 tonnes of cherries.

Market City Fruits wholesaler David James said weather conditions have had an impact on both quality and quantity of Victoria cherries, but consumers can still source beautiful fruits for the Christmas table.

“Supply is going to be on the lighter side, we’ve gone through a big glut, the weather has been on the grower’s side, but the mild weather brought on fruit earlier,” Mr James said.

“There’s enough supply, but that will shorten up a little bit next week.”

Mr James said other fruits, like lychees, will be in plentiful supply in the coming weeks, should consumers be looking for an alternative choice this summer.

Cherries are sitting at about $20/kg at major supermarkets, with punnets of raspberries selling for $28/kg and strawberries between $15 to $16/kg.

Cherries are sitting at about $20/kg at major supermarkets. Picture: Linda Higginson

Summer fruits such as mangoes are selling for between $30 to $40 a tray, or $2.50 to $2.90 each, with a bumper northern crop ensuring there’s plenty of stock available in the lead up to Christmas.

“Lychees are good quality, they are on the dear side but there is quite an abundance of them, and they’re a good line,” Mr James said.

“New season grapes from around Victoria, I’ll have some next week. It’s a happy time of year, where a lot of our seasonal fruit is coming in.”

A Melbourne Market spokesperson said the coming weeks were some of the busiest of the year for the market.

“Our community of growers, wholesalers, and buyers are working tirelessly to ensure greengrocers and independent supermarkets are fully stocked with plentiful fresh fruit and veg for Christmas celebrations across the state,” the spokesperson said.

“Independent greengrocers will have the freshest festive favourites, from cherries to potatoes, mangoes, berries and more, ready for families to enjoy this Christmas.”

SEAFOOD

After years of trade disruptions affecting rock lobster fishers, the outlook for summer is looking positive, with bargains to be found at your local fishmonger.

Seafood Industry chief executive Veronica Papacosta said prawns were the hero of Christmas in 202­4, with a bountiful supply available.

“It’s been such a bumper year, there’s been so much out in the market place, almost too much,” Ms Papacosta said.

Ms Papacosta said prices for Wild King prawns across the country ranged between $40kg up to $70kg for “a beautiful product”, but the most affordable option was to source fresh, uncooked Banana and Endeavour prawns.

Prawns will be the hero of Australian seafood this summer, with a bountiful supply available. Picture: Flavio Brancaleone

“They’re such a sustainability champion, and they’re fantastic to eat,” Ms Papacosta said.

“Throw them on the barbecue, they’re a cost of living solution, so you don’t have to miss out, and they’re highly available.”

News in November of lifted trade restrictions on Australian rock lobsters into China has changed the dynamic for Australian producers, Ms Papacosta said, but not at the expense of availability leading into Christmas.

“We’re seeing Western rock lobsters between $30 to $40 each, meaning prices are very stable,” Ms Papacosta said.

“Lobster fishers have had a really tough time, they’re really keen to fish, and get lobsters on the table.”