Australia's reliance on imports is being blamed for a national shortage of sliced beetroot that has been frustrating consumers for more than six months
People searching for the perfect addition to a homemade burger have been consistently met by empty spaces on supermarket shelves where canned beetroot used to be.
Sliced beetroot has been in short supply in retail stores.
(ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
Ed Fagan, whose family has been farming since 1886 and growing beetroot since World War II at Cowra in New South Wales, said the empty shelves were "a direct result of companies going offshore".
"Right from the 1940s through to this year I'm not aware of another time that there's been a shortage of [processed] beetroot like this," he said.
The shortages do not apply to fresh Australian beetroot.
Domestic production of the popular vegetable increased by 10 per cent to 16,167 tonnes last financial year.
Beetroot farmer Ed Fagan supplies Three Threes.
(Supplied: Michael McAlpine)
Move offshore
American multinational Kraft Heinz bought Golden Circle in 2008 and stopped canning beetroot at its Brisbane factory in 2011, making more than 50 workers redundant.
But its new production area in New Zealand's Hawkes Bay was wiped out in February last year when Cyclone **rielle caused devastating flooding and landslips.
Ex-tropical cyclone **rielle had a devastating impact in New Zealand.
(Supplied: Queensland Fire and Emergency Services)
Thirteen months on, Golden Circle canned beetroot is still not available in Australia, but a Kraft Heinz spokesperson said that it would be "back in store in the next few weeks, building to normal supply over the ensuing months".
The spokesperson did not respond when asked about continued speculation the company planned to sell its food manufacturing assets in Australia and New Zealand, including its pineapple cannery in Brisbane.
"You have to question their motive for moving offshore in the first place," Mr Fagan said.
Kraft Heinz still cans Australian pineapple under the Golden Circle brand in Brisbane.
(ABC Rural: Lisa Herbert)
"Australia has a very wide growing area for beetroot, from Tassie right through to Queensland, and Kraft Heinz decided to go to New Zealand where they grow everything on a postage stamp sort of area.
"They're looking for cheap labour and cheaper production, but obviously it hasn't been a major success for them because they're trying to sell it."
Increased vulnerability
Sliced Australian grown beetroot.
(Supplied: Ed Fagan)
Andrew MacDonald from AUSVEG said that as a net importer of tinned or processed vegetable products, Australia was often at the mercy of international supply chain factors.
"This situation highlights the need to ensure Australia has sufficient food manufacturing and processing capability to meet domestic need," Mr MacDonald said.
Mr Fagan's beetroot harvests go directly to long-established Australian family-owned company, Three Threes.
Justine and Michael McAlpine manage the company his family founded in 1919.
(Supplied: Michael McAlpine)
Founded in 1919, it is now run by fourth-generation food manufacturer Michael McAlpine and his wife Justine, who also make condiments, spreads, pickled vegetables, and sauces.
Mr McAlpine said since Golden Circle stopped supplying in July last year, all sliced Australian beetroot had been coming out of the Three Threes' Lidcombe-based factory in Western Sydney, and Edgell, owned by the US-based, privately owned company Simplot.
Three Threes' factory is in Lidcombe, western Sydney.
(Supplied: Michael McAlpine)
Mr McAlpine said his factory had been processing about 100 tonnes of sliced beetroot and baby beetroots each week, with sales up 100 per cent in January compared to the same month last year, despite challenges caused by wet weather.
"We've replanted and we've managed to keep that going, but Edgell have run out so now it's just ourselves to supply the whole of Australia," he said.
A Simplot spokesperson said the 2024 Edgell Australian-grown crop was "looking great" and was anticipated to be back on shelves in late May.
Australia first
Mr McAlpine said that Three Threes' policy was to focus on supporting Australian businesses "first and foremost", purchasing produce exclusively from Australian farmers.
Australian beetroot production rose 10 per cent to 16,167 tonnes in 2022-'23.
(Supplied)
"We buy all Australian glass. A lot of companies buy imported glass when it's cheap. And we buy Australian machinery where possible," he said.
But he said there was no level playing field between Australian-made products and imports.
"On our current rate, every five years we're paying one million bucks on land tax. It's just cruel when European companies and their farmers are getting subsidies [but] our farmers get nothing," he said.
"They're beautiful people, they work so hard.
"It's like you've got to have your fingers tied behind your back and work away and compete against the imports."
Vegetable farmers see their market for canned vegetables disappear.(Landline, 2014)
