The value growers bring to the table
If you were paid a dollar each time you heard "cost of living" this year, what would you spend that money on? If you believe the latest consumer data – fewer people are spending it on fresh fruit and vegetables.
As the CEO of Queensland Fruit & Vegetable Growers, I’ve spoken at length this year about the increased costs of growing fresh produce, up by 30-65% since 2020—and how that may or may not translate into higher supermarket prices.
But when we talk only about costs, we overlook a more important question: What value do growers bring to the table?
Our current crisis isn’t just about cost of living; it’s about understanding the difference between the cost, price, value, and worth of food. These concepts have been blurred together, and doing so means we’ve lost sight of the vital contributions farmers make to our food system.
Cost is straightforward. It’s the tangible investment that goes into producing food: labour, energy, water, and regulatory compliance. Yet, what often goes unnoticed is the invisible cost carried by farmers: dealing with climate variability, natural disasters, and sustainability demands. Australian farmers operate in a landscape where expectations are high—not just for food quality and safety, but for ethical and environmental standards that set a global benchmark. The real cost of growing food is much higher than we often calculate.
Price is the figure we see on the supermarket shelf, driven by influences such as supply and demand, market trends, brand reputation, and investor returns.
Although conversations to this point have been focused only on these first two – it is value and worth which the future of fresh produce depends upon.
Value is not just about the taste or nutrition of fresh produce; it's about the health, cultural significance, and joy that food brings to our lives. The value of fresh produce lies not just in its positive health inputs to human bodies, but also in its contribution to community well-being, local economies, and the multitude of both direct and indirect jobs it provides Australia-wide.
Finally, let’s consider worth—the calculation we all make when deciding what food is worth to us. Worth is subjective, and blends cost, price, and value. Yet it’s shaped by our social context, influenced by what others around us do and are willing to pay. This is where farmers often struggle to get the recognition they deserve.
Farmers do more than grow food—they sustain communities, traditions, and our future. They innovate to meet the demands of changing climates, invest in sustainable practices, and work tirelessly to ensure that we have access to fresh, healthy food.
It's time we recalibrate from the ‘cost of living’ to the value of living well. In that recalibration, we need to see the vast value and worth farmers hold for us today and support them to continue their important work into the future.
