Coles and Woolworths hit by banana shortage as cool weather slows Queensland crops

Shoppers across the country are confronting bare shelves as unusually cool weather and strong demand hits the major supermarkets.

Customers at Coles, Woolworths and Aldi have all reported the same frustrating scenes of empty shelves where bananas usually sit.

Woolworths confirmed that unseasonably cool weather conditions have hit growers hard nationwide.

”Weather in Far North Queensland has slowed banana growth, limiting stock. We are working with growers to restore normal supply. We apologise for any inconvenience,” the supermarket giant said.

In a similar statement Coles said “banana variety may vary due to challenging growing conditions.”

Some supermarkets have fewer varieties or greener bananas being put on display.

The problem for shoppers comes as nearly 95 per cent of the nation’s bananas are grown in North Queensland, with the vast majority sourced from the Cassowary Coast and Atherton Tablelands.

Bananas are particularly sensitive crops, requiring high heat and tropical humidity to develop properly, with a cooler spring slowing down growth rates.

Shoppers have flocked to Reddit to ask if there was a genuine shortage, or if they were simply missing out.

”Yeah I’m in Vic. I just bought bananas in Aldi a few hours ago. There wasn’t much left but I figured it was just because it was near end of the day,” one shopper wrote.

Another revealed they were out of stock “at my local Woolies NSW the entire day yesterday but got some stock for today.”

Others were unimpressed by what little they could find, voicing frustration at the quality of the fruit.

”As well as supply issues, the current stock arriving in some states was overripe. This would then cause excessive waste then increased demand, plus likely some rejections for quality at Distribution Centres,” one commenter explained.

Originally published as Coles and Woolworths hit by banana shortage as cool weather slows Queensland crops