As the price of leafy greens soars, data shows some products are holding up

The fact that the cost of food in Australia has soared this year is nothing new to most people.
Key points: Deakin University research shows that lettuce, broccoli and tomato prices have soared - life pressures, more people are asking for help with food expensesThere are calls for a national strategy to ensure Australians can access healthy food have increased the most, which fell, and which remained flat.
Figures from Deakin University's Institute for Health Transformation confirm which increase attracted the most beware: the price of lettuce is skyrocketing.
Data shows that lettuce has jumped 150% in 12 months, from a national average of $2 per head to the iceberg last year to $5 in 2022.
All kinds of leafy greens have disappeared from the aisles of groceries in rec months, including broccoli, which saw the second biggest jump.
It went from $6.90 per kilo in June last year to 11 $.90 in June of this year – a 72% increase.
Tomatoes had the third biggest jump, rising 25% more over the same period.
Not surprisingly, the price of iceberg lettuce doubled between June 2020 and June 2022. (ABC News: Bec Whetham)
Deakin University researcher Christina Zorbas, said most things cost more in general, which means grocery bills were higher even if you avoided lettuce, broccoli, and tomatoes.
"We call it a crisis of s food prices," said Dr. Zorbas.
"On average, fruit and vegetable prices increased by 7%."
"Other foods, the staple foods we eat every day like bread, also increased by 10 percent."
She said other foods in base were also up, with spaghetti up 13%, potatoes up 12% and milk up 9%.
Food Item
Price June 2020
Price June 2022
Change
24 months
Iceberg Lettuce (per head)
$2.50
$5.00
+100 pc
Broccoli (per kg)

$5.90
$11.90
+101.69 pc
Tomatoes (per kg)
$6.90
$9.90
+43.48 pc
Olive Oil (1L)
$12
$16
+33.33 pc
Apples (per kg)
$5.50
$4.50
-18.8 pcs
Oranges (per kg)
$3.50
$3.22
-7.94 pc

Agrotech Jul 9, 2022 0 133 Add to Reading List

As the price of leafy greens soars, data shows some products are holding up

The fact that the cost of food in Australia has soared this year is nothing new to most people.

Key points: Deakin University research shows that lettuce, broccoli and tomato prices have soared - life pressures, more people are asking for help with food expensesThere are calls for a national strategy to ensure Australians can access healthy food have increased the most, which fell, and which remained flat.

Figures from Deakin University's Institute for Health Transformation confirm which increase attracted the most beware: the price of lettuce is skyrocketing.

Data shows that lettuce has jumped 150% in 12 months, from a national average of $2 per head to the iceberg last year to $5 in 2022.

All kinds of leafy greens have disappeared from the aisles of groceries in rec months, including broccoli, which saw the second biggest jump.

It went from $6.90 per kilo in June last year to 11 $.90 in June of this year – a 72% increase.

Tomatoes had the third biggest jump, rising 25% more over the same period.

Deakin University researcher Christina Zorbas, said most things cost more in general, which means grocery bills were higher even if you avoided lettuce, broccoli, and tomatoes.

"We call it a crisis of s food prices," said Dr. Zorbas.

"On average, fruit and vegetable prices increased by 7%."

"Other foods, the staple foods we eat every day like bread, also increased by 10 percent."

She said other foods in base were also up, with spaghetti up 13%, potatoes up 12% and milk up 9%.

Food Item

Price June 2020

Price June 2022

Change

24 months

Iceberg Lettuce (per head)

$2.50

$5.00