Local food vendors well stocked despite nation-wide shortages

"We are fully stocked," said Steve Hamer from Southland Fruit and Vegetables Moruya and Narooma. " We aren't short on anything."

"We've been busier because there are shortages," he said. "Supermarkets run out of something - and you can never predict what it will be: last week it was tomatoes, and then it was potatoes - and then we get slammed (with increased demand) for that item."

Southlands is able to maintain stock levels because of their reliance upon the local food economy.

"We work closely with local growers who supply seasonal fruit and vegetables and we're supporting the local food economy," he said.

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Anything not grown locally is shipped directly from markets in Sydney or Melbourne to Southlands by a local transport operator, bypassing staff shortages experienced by other supermarkets in the storing and transporting stages of delivery.

Mr Hamer said it was especially important to keep shopping locally after all the difficulties local growers have been through recently.

Southland Fruit and Vegetables employ 30 people, annually investing $1.5 million dollars into the Eurobodalla and Bega valley shires.

Mr Hamer hopes customers will learn to appreciate the benefits of shopping locally because of their experience through COVID.

"People are jumping on the bandwagon (of buying locally) because they have to with shortages," he said. "It'll be interesting to see who decides to continue to shop more locally more often after they've had to during COVID."

Mr Hamer said COVID was highlighting the importance of growing and selling food locally.

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He says the local food economy is only going to grow more important as international food prices increase - forced upwards by factors such as increased freight costs, increased fuel prices and more expensive crop inputs.

Southland Fruit and Vegetables began a new initiative last year to ensure local food security and support local food supply.

In 2021 the grocery outlet entered into a partnership with a local grower, buying a four acre farm block on the river-flat north of the Moruya town bridge. The grower leases the land for free, growing produce to sell at a discount rate to the grocer, as well as produce to sell at their own market stalls.

The deal worked, according to Mr Hamer, because the grower needed more land and the grocer more supply.

The arrangement ensures products such as corn, leafy greens, silver beet and kale are all grown a short drive from where they are sold.

State-wide stock shortages have especially impacted meat supply, and while Jason Funnell from Bayside Meats and Deli on Perry in Batemans Bay says they remain reasonably well-stocked, it is only a matter of time before they start experiencing shortages in some items.

"We are well stocked on most things," Mr Funnell said.

He said sourcing meat locally was a key factor in being able to continue to supply meat for customers.

The butcher acquires most of their meat locally, however does ship some products in from Cowra.

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"It is certainly a juggling act to make sure we have consistent supply for some products," he said. "We did have a week where we couldn't get any pork, but that is fixed now."

Mr Funnell said it's important customers shop locally because for local businesses, it is a case of "use it or lose it": if people don't support local businesses, butchers like his wouldn't exist for the moments - such as the current food shortages - where they are relied upon by many in the community.

Mr Funnell said there is a financial incentive to shop local too, as money spent instore is invested back into the region and community.

"We invest money back into the community through sporting groups and event sponsorships," he said.

"If you're buying local you're helping support local," he said.

The butcher employs more than 18 locals, and Mr Funnell pointed out this is 18 separate families within the community all supported through one business.

His advice to consumers during the current food crisis: "shop locally and support your local business as much as you can."