Incredible to think in the year 2023 the UK has an issue with food security. If someone had told me when we moved back in 2015 there'd be winter shortages in respect to fruit and vegetables, I would have mumbled the line from the classic Aussie movie, The Castle:
"You're dreamin."
However, a bleak weekend visit to my local ASDA inspired me to do some 'dreamin' about the food in Australia. Access to quality produce and ingredients is one of the things we miss the most about the country. The choice in major supermarkets is incredible. If you want to eat out, there are always amazing South Asian, South East Asian, Chinese, Italian, Greek as well as fusion options. Either cheap , quality eats or high end. These represent historic migrant trends and point to the richness and diversity of Australia’s multicultural communities. Funnily enough, there are no English food restaurants - I wonder why!
Queen Victoria Market, Melbourne VIC, Australia (pic Somi Jaiswal on Unsplash)
- Australia is one of the most food secure countries on the planet.
- It is equal 1st in the world for the lowest figure for undernourishment.
- Australia produces more food than it consumes and only imports 11% of food consumed.
(source: www.agriculture.gov.au)
Bunbury, WA Farmers Market (pic Kat Nesterenko on Unsplash)
Because of its diverse agricultural sector, climate and diverse migrant population, large retailers and specialist international markets in Australia are full of produce popular in SE and South Asia as well as what is traditionally eaten in Europe. Cheap and easy to find, mangos, rambutans, papaya, avocados, watermelon, bananas and potatoes, carrots, peppers, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and, yes, tomatoes are all in bountiful supply. Specialist Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Italian, Greek and middle eastern supermarkets. I used to go to our local Thai shop in Sydney to pick up huge bunches of coriander and bags of large dried chillis. Australia also produces its own wine, cheeses, cherries, berries and, of course, Kangaroo and crocodile meat! As well as fruit and veg, it also exports wheat.
(pic Melbourne by Ben Ashton on Unsplash)
The amount Australia imports is made up of imported processed food and drink (9.6%) and only 1.6% is imported which is fresh food and drink.
Australia - like everywhere - has seen inflation rise to 7.8% (as of Feb 2023) compared to the UK's 8.8%. House prices at the moment are in decline in most major metro cities - 7% or thereabouts.
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