Australian vegetable prices have dropped in the past year, proving their value as a healthy and affordable option
Ausveg has highlighted the value vegetables can provide to health and the bottom line of Australian households as cost-of-living pressures rise.
The industry body shared that while annual inflation having surged to 4.6 per cent over the 12 months to March, the latest ABS data shows vegetable prices actually fell over the same period.
Australians are eating an average of just 1.8 serves of vegetables a day, and only 6.5 per cent of adults and 4.6 per cent of children are consuming the recommended five serves.
Ausveg CEO Michael Coote said eating more vegetables is a simple way Australians can help ease financial pressures, while also benefiting their health and providing Australian vegetable growers with a much-needed boost at a time when production costs have surged due to the impacts of the Iran war.
“Like Australian vegetable growers, Aussie families are under sustained financial pressure and need relief, and Australian-grown vegetables remain one of the most affordable and healthiest food options available,” said Coote.
“In the current cost-of-living crisis, value is key, and the numbers show vegetables continue to represent great value. Eating more vegetables is good for Aussies’ bank balances, good for Aussies’ health and good for Aussie vegetable growers.”
Coote said Australia’s vegetable growers supply 10,000 tonnes of fresh produce into the domestic market each day, which represents 98 per cent of the fresh vegetables consumed by Australians.
“Australian vegetable growers have been hit extremely hard by impacts flowing from the Middle East war, with continuing widespread concerns about the future availability of fuel and other critical farm inputs, and unsustainable production cost surges threatening their viability,” he added.
“Even as vegetable growers’ production costs have soared vegetables remain a great value and healthy option for Australian families, and all consumers can play a significant role in supporting hard-working Australian growers by eating more fresh, quality, safe Australian-grown vegetables.”
The industry, with support from Hort Innovation, is also leading the Plus One Serve initiative, aiming to help every Australian eat one more serve of vegetables each day by 2030.
Managing director of Plus One Serve Justine Coates said addressing consumer perceptions of value remained a key barrier to getting more Australians eating more vegetables.
“One of the biggest challenges we face in lifting vegetable consumption is addressing consumer perceptions of the value of vegetables. The fact is and the data shows, vegetables are among the best- value, and healthiest foods available,” Coates said.
“Vegetables represent great value, and by replacing unhealthy, discretionary foods with Australian-grown vegetables, the savings and health benefits really add up. With a serve of vegetables amounting to half a cup or a healthy handful, eating one more serve of vegetables each day is a tangible, achievable goal.
“If every Australian eats one more serve of Australian-grown vegetables daily, there’s a A$4.7bn triple bottom line of benefits to be realised – saving money, improving health, and supporting Australian growers and the broader economy.”
