PRAWN suppliers and the big supermarkets have hosed down concerns of a prawn shortage, after some reports warned prices could reach up to $50 a kilo.
The traditional Christmas rush and an outbreak of white spot disease at three prawn farms in Logan, Queensland, has created fears of a shortage and skyrocketing prices.
The head of the Australian Prawn Farmers Association (APFA) says while the disease outbreak is “devastatingâ€, it will not affect most of our national prawn supply.
“These harvests are usually not ready for this time of year anyway. That’s not causing a shortage,†APFA executive officer Helen Jenkins told news.com.au.
“There are plenty of prawns to go around.â€
There were concerns prawns prices could jump to as high as $50 a kilo, but Sydney Fish Markets general manager Bryan Skepper says that figure is inflated.
“It’s a tragedy that three farms have been impacted up [in Queensland] but supplies to Sydney Fish Markets have not been affected,†Mr Skepper told news.com.au.
“In fact, we’ve had good supplies. Yesterday we had over 15 tonnes of black tiger prawns delivered and we’ve had good supplies of wild caught prawns.â€
Mr Skepper said the best quality prawns, and therefore the most expensive, would cost around $40 a kilo
“The retail price range for large tiger prawns is $28-$30 a kilo, for extra large it’s $30-35 a kilo and large wild caught king prawns are $36-$40 a kilo,†he said.
The shortage reports started after the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) banned prawns exports from the Logan River region last month following the discovery of white spot disease on some prawns.
“NSW has implemented an importation order prohibiting uncooked prawns from the area within 10km radius of the first infected premises on the Logan River,†a department spokeswoman told The Daily Telegraph.
One of the country’s biggest seafood suppliers, Clarence River Fishermen’s Co-Op in Yamba, Queensland, claimed premium varieties of prawn could fetch up to $55 per kg.
“This year there has been a little shortage in Queensland, which has helped the price stay very strong,†business development manager Gary Anderson told The Daily Telegraph, before adding,“I think there’ll be enough to go round.â€
But both Coles and Woolworths say their customers will be able to have fresh prawns on the table at Christmas lunch this year. Prices at both supermarkets vary between $18 a kilo to $37 a kilo, depending on the size and quality of the prawn.
“No prawns from farms in South East Queensland impacted by the white spot disease were sent to stores for Christmas sale,†a Woolworths spokesman said.
“The outbreak at these farms will not impact prawn supply at Woolworths this Christmas and we will have plenty of great Australian prawns for our customers to buy over the coming weeks.â€
A Coles spokesman said the supermarket does not source prawns from any farm identified as being affected by white spot disease.
“Coles is confident we will have plenty of prawns for our customers to enjoy over Christmas. Most of our Australian farmed prawns are sourced from North Queensland, more than 1000km from the Logan River,†he said.
rebecca.sullivan@news.com.au