Fresh food price pain set to continue as crops are 'wiped out' in Sydney flood disaster

The spike in vegetable prices could last for some time, with the NSW flood crisis just the latest in a series of blows causing sky-high grocery bills.

Key points:The Unfolding flood crisis in Sydney is taking away millions of vegetable dollarsThis follows months of high fuel and fertilizer costs for growersThe industry expects consumers continue to pay high prices for some time, but recovery is on the horizon of cabbage and baby spinach had been "wiped out" by the flooding Nepean River.

This is the third flood to hit his farm this year, taking away business estimated at $1 million.

"You get nothing after a flood", said he declared.

With the price of inputs like fertilizer and fuel also sky-high, Grech said consumers' grocery bills would likely feel the cumulative impact.

"I think it's been happening for a while. People haven't paid dearly," he said.

"People will pay $4, $5 for a cup of coffee, and… don't think about it, but if the lettuce is $10 a lettuce, it's all over the news."

LIVE UPDATE: Follow our blog for the latest flooding in New South Wales

Tyson Cattle, of leading organization AusVeg, said the ranchers in eastern Australia had suffered from prolonged wet weather and rising costs had to be passed on to consumers.

< img alt="Tops of green leaves submerged in brown flood waters." src="https://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn.net.au/5d38e4d7b4377d970e66d99ae326a247?impolicy=wcms_crop_resize&cropH=1089&cropW=1633&xPos=1065&yPos=359&width=862&height-Oent data" class="1MqWent sizes" class="1MqWent sizes" Image"/>Paul Grech's vegetable crops have been flooded for the third time this year.(Supplied)

"We are still starting to see some supply coming back into the market from Queensland" , he said.

"Obviously we rely on a lot of Queensland production at this time of year."

Recovery was underway in some areas but not everywhere, with some growers still struggling to get into paddocks while others were able to start replanting.