Veggie growers, sellers, and buyers across the MIA have been hard hit by a loss of supply due to the drought this year.
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In the mainstream fresh vegetable market Mick Macedone, the owner of Broome's Fruit & Vegetables in Griffith, said his long time relationships with suppliers and growers are what has been allowing him to avoid having to raise his prices by large margins this year.
"We get pretty good deals off our suppliers we have been with them for quite a few years and they are at a situation where they are being forced to (sell at) lower prices too," Mr Macedone said.
"For the amount of handling and storage facilities needed for vegetables, it's still cheaper than any other commodity."
Having sold veggies in Griffith for over 40 years, Mr Macedone said growers in the MIA will have a battle ahead of them in order to be able to make their growing more cost effective when dealing with drought and higher prices for water.
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Mr Macedone said this year tomatoes have been one of his most difficult products to manage, having to buy them from Queensland following a massive loss of the crops around Shepparton following January's heat wave.
Organic growers have also been extremely hard hit by drought and January's heatwave.
Mr Macedone said the sizes and shapes of organic veggies already make them un-competitive compared to fresh fruits and veggies in most markets, especially in regional areas.
"A lot of people would rather organics but when you show them the difference in quality shapes and sizes is just not there," Mr Macedone said.
Coleambally organic grower Brendan Murray agrees the market has been poor.
A grower of organic pumpkins, zucchinis, and onions Mr Murray said unlike most vegetable a drop in demand has prevented himself and other growers of organics from being able to keep their prices at a sustainable rate this year.
"Probably on average I've been selling at about $7 less per box this year, a box is 10 kilograms so It's $0.70 per kilogram cheaper" Mr Murray said.
"Normally it might be like that for a few weeks and then the price goes back up but this year it's been like this since the start of December."
Meanwhile, increases in the price of water, power and packaging supplies have also been plaguing his business since 2015.
"Normally I'd average around 15 tonnes a week and this year I have probably averaged around eight to nine, there's less supply and I have had more trouble trying to move the products as well," Mr Murray said.
"We were doing about 600 tonnes of zucchini per year and this year it will be around 450 tonne or less, and on pumpkins we used to do 1200 tonne per year and we are only going to do around 350 tonnes."
If the drought continues as it has been this year Mr Murray said he is not planning on growing any winter crops and is currently considering whether or not he will have to take a year off farming and find work elsewhere.
"I've put two of my permanent workers off and I'm (losing) a third one once we finish the season I will have to put him off as I wont be able to grow any winter crops this year," Mr Murray said.
"It is going to be extremely hard to replace them, (and their) understanding of how our operation works and cultivating organics."
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