Strawberry availability has decreased in supermarkets across Australia due to weather-related challenges faced by growers. Queensland's primary strawberry season typically concludes in September and October, when producers in southern regions take over. However, unusually hot and dry conditions in Queensland have cut the peak season short, while strawberries in other areas are ripening later than usual.

Matt Gallace, a strawberry grower from Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, noted that a cold winter has delayed his crop. "We're still probably two weeks behind where we would normally be at this time of year," he said.

In Queensland, the Strawberry Growers Association president, Adrian Schultz, reported a 20-30 percent drop in yield during the winter and spring seasons due to extreme weather. The season began with heavy rain that damaged fruit, leading to significant waste. Schultz explained that a recent stretch of hot and dry weather in September and October has further shortened the growing season. "That finished off a lot of farms up here; there just was no fruit left. It got the plants to shut down," he said. He warned that this could affect prices in the coming weeks until production stabilizes.

Currently, strawberries are selling for about $4.50 to $5 for a 250g punnet in major supermarkets. This price is significantly lower than the peak of $11.99 per punnet in Canberra in June 2022, but higher than the recent price of $2.50.

Hydroponic farms in Queensland, which have better control over water and nutrients, have managed to sustain production longer than traditional farms. In Victoria, Gallace typically plants strawberries between April and June, with harvesting starting in October. This year, however, the berries are ripening later than expected. "Strawberries like warm nights, and we haven't had many warm nights over the last few months, so we're behind by about two weeks in terms of our season down here," he said. Other growers in the Yarra Valley and southern regions are experiencing similar delays.

Despite the setbacks, Gallace is optimistic about the upcoming harvest. "Probably another week or two away, the price will start to ease in the supermarkets and your local fruit and veg shop," he said.

Major supermarkets, including Woolworths and Coles, have posted notices about the strawberry shortages. A spokesperson for Woolworths stated, "Due to weather impacts on crops, we are experiencing some impact on strawberry supply." They assured customers that more strawberries would be available soon, adding, "We are working closely with our suppliers and anticipate these impacts will only be short-term and supply will soon return to normal."