General News
30 May, 2026
Banana growers facing cost pressures, including diesel
AUSTRALIAN banana growers are continuing to supply a consistent, affordable source of fresh fruit for households nationwide, despite unrelenting cost pressures at the farm gate.
The Australian Banana Growers’ Council (ABGC) says growers are managing a wave of increases across transport, packaging, fuel, fertiliser and essential services, including worker transport, chemical delivery and applications.
While cost pressures are being felt across the economy, banana growers face the added challenge of operating as price-takers, with limited ability to pass on increases or make cuts.
ABGC has welcomed recent government measures to support fertiliser supply and fuel availability, describing them as important steps towards restoring some supply chain stability.
However, these measures will take time to flow through, and growers continue to carefully manage tight margins while maintaining production.
ABGC chairman Leon Collins said the cumulative impact of rising costs was placing sustained pressure on farm businesses – and on the people who run them.
“We don’t set the price, we work with what we’re given, while absorbing increased costs from right across the supply chain,” Mr Collins said.
“Diesel in particular is critical to every stage of production and transport. It’s not something we can reduce or replace. Put simply, it’s essential to keeping fruit moving from farm to shelf.”
Growers are actively reviewing operations and finding efficiencies where possible, but the nature of farming leaves limited flexibility.
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