Cost of Christmas party set to rise as La Niña ravages avocado and stone fruit crops

As Teresa and Lindsay Francis walk through their orchard, their footsteps are punctuated by the sound of fruit falling to the ground.

Key points:Storms have knocked down stone fruit in southern Queensland trees and splitting with water damageCommodity analysts and grocers warn it will impact summer fruit prices over the Christmas seasonFruit price inflation has already increased by 14% in the last 12 months

Nearly a third of their entire stone fruit crop is like this - rain damaged and unfit for market.

< p class="_1g_Rg">"If there's too much moisture, the fruit will just suck it up," Ms. Francis said.

"You can't sell it."

After weeks of storms during the nectarine and plum picking season in Kumbia, nestled in the foothills of the Bunya Mountains, the Franc is worried about their avocado crop as they watch their stone fruit rot on the ground.

Teresa Francis says the past few years have been the toughest in decades. (ABC Rural: Alys Marshall)

"We've had hail on the avocados that are blooming right now, so they're just tiny - the hail is hitting them all right away,” Ms. Francis said. " data-uri="coremedia://imageproxy/101661486">Bevan Betros anticipates higher summer fruit prices due to limited supply. (ABC Southern Qld: Georgie Hewson)Christmas Press< p class="_1g_Rg">As La Niña continues to bring record rainfall to eastern Australia, flood damage and shortages supplies will lead to price hikes in supermarkets.

Bevan Betros, who runs fruit and vegetable grocer Betros Bros, warns of a potential 30% increase in cost of a range of summer fruits.

Hail and extreme storms take a bite out of young lawyers.