Tricky time for lunchboxes: banana shortage hits supermarket shelves after cool weather in Queensland

Cool weather in north Queensland has slowed the growth of bananas. Shoppers at Coles, Woolworths and Aldi are finding empty shelves or very green fruit. Woolworths told customers stock may be limited this week, but fresh bananas are arriving daily. Bananas are the fruit Australians buy most. Almost nine in 10 households buy them regularly. Supermarkets try to keep the price under $5 a kilo, so demand stays high even when supply drops.

Australia grows its own bananas in Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia. It does not rely on imports, so a weather problem in one growing area shows up in shops fast. This time apples are also scarce after hot weather, and summer stone fruit has not arrived yet. The Australian Banana Growers' Council says any shortage should soon fix itself. Temperatures are rising in the affected regions. Mangoes are already getting cheaper, and peach and nectarine prices should fall in the next few weeks.

Bananas are a lunchbox staple. When supply drops, families face greener fruit, higher prices, or a change of plan at the shops.