Seafood Christmas staple might see holiday price dip over abundant supply
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The festive season is upon us, and with it comes the joy of indulging in our favourite holiday foods.
For many, seafood is a staple of the Christmas table, and this year, there's some good news for prawn lovers.
Thanks to an 'abundance of supply,' the price of high-quality Australian prawns might be in for price drops, making it a more affordable option for your holiday feast.
Seafood Industry Australia's Chief Executive, Veronica Papacosta, has confirmed that aquaculture and wild prawns—the country's two main sectors—have had 'fantastic years.'
This means the usual price hikes we see around this time of year are unlikely to occur.
In fact, prices have already dropped in June by almost 50 per cent since last December, and they're expected to stay low as we move into the festive season.
‘Often, at this time of year, we hear of skyrocketing seafood prices. And that just won’t happen,’ Papacosta said.
This abundance of prawns is due to a combination of factors.
Firstly, Papacosta explained there has been significant investment and improvement in sustainable seafood farming across Australia. This has led to a boom in prawn production, ensuring a steady supply of this delicious crustacean.
Secondly, the weather conditions this year have been particularly favourable for prawn growth.
Heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in various regions of Australia earlier this year led to an abundance of nutrients from the land being washed out to sea. This has resulted in a surge in crustacean populations, further contributing to the abundance of prawns.
‘It’s been a good season for growing prawns and prawn catching. And so where we find ourselves is with an abundance of supply.’
Angelo Zahos, Director at Aptus Seafoods in South Melbourne, has confirmed that customers can expect to save between $10 and $20 per kilo compared with last year.
'Medium-sized prawns are about $29.99 to $35 a kilo at the moment,' he said.
'The larger King (prawns), so the bigger size, are probably closer to $40 to $50 a kilo, which last year they were probably $60 to $65 a kilo.'
Supermarkets are also reflecting this trend, with Coles Deli Thawed Australian MSC Raw King Prawns currently selling for $22 a kilo and Green King Prawns Large Thawed at Woolworths for approximately $18 a kilo.
However, Papacosta warned that cheaper prawn prices might not always translate to the consumer due to the added cost of transporting the seafood.
‘Whether I see the price dropping or not is another question,’ she said.
‘So I think there will be an abundance of high-quality products on the market. And that’s good for customers. Whether it translates to the consumer price at the retail level comes down to the cost of doing business.’
Despite this, Zahos, a veteran of the fresh seafood industry for 54 years, was hopeful that he could keep prices down for his customers.
He acknowledges that last year was tough for many, with some ‘people weren’t able to afford prawns’.
“It’s been quite a hard year for everybody,’ he said.
He aimed to ensure that for ‘anyone (who) wants to put seafood on their table…this year, is a good year for people to do that.’
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for all seafood.
Oysters, another Christmas food favourite, are under threat. The supply from two of the East Coast’s biggest farming regions is in jeopardy due to a 'gastro-like illness' and heavy rainfall and flooding, according to ABC.
This has left every estuary south of Sydney unable to be harvested, just weeks out from Christmas.
There was also an urgent recall to pull out Coles’s 12-packs of Sydney City Oysters from shelves in NSW and the ACT due to a potentially dangerous labelling error.
Some packs were incorrectly labelled with a use-by date of November 30 when they should have read November 10. Consuming oysters past their use-by dates can pose serious health risks, including gastrointestinal illness.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the authorities shut down the harvest and sale of oysters from the Wallis Lake System in NSW mid-north coast near Forster and Tuncurry and are currently being investigated.
What are your favourite prawn recipes for the festive season? Share them with us in the comments below!
For many, seafood is a staple of the Christmas table, and this year, there's some good news for prawn lovers.
Thanks to an 'abundance of supply,' the price of high-quality Australian prawns might be in for price drops, making it a more affordable option for your holiday feast.
Seafood Industry Australia's Chief Executive, Veronica Papacosta, has confirmed that aquaculture and wild prawns—the country's two main sectors—have had 'fantastic years.'
Australian prawns are seen to be more afforable for the holiday season. Credit: Unsplash
This means the usual price hikes we see around this time of year are unlikely to occur.
In fact, prices have already dropped in June by almost 50 per cent since last December, and they're expected to stay low as we move into the festive season.
‘Often, at this time of year, we hear of skyrocketing seafood prices. And that just won’t happen,’ Papacosta said.
This abundance of prawns is due to a combination of factors.
Firstly, Papacosta explained there has been significant investment and improvement in sustainable seafood farming across Australia. This has led to a boom in prawn production, ensuring a steady supply of this delicious crustacean.
Secondly, the weather conditions this year have been particularly favourable for prawn growth.
Heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding in various regions of Australia earlier this year led to an abundance of nutrients from the land being washed out to sea. This has resulted in a surge in crustacean populations, further contributing to the abundance of prawns.
‘It’s been a good season for growing prawns and prawn catching. And so where we find ourselves is with an abundance of supply.’
Angelo Zahos, Director at Aptus Seafoods in South Melbourne, has confirmed that customers can expect to save between $10 and $20 per kilo compared with last year.
'Medium-sized prawns are about $29.99 to $35 a kilo at the moment,' he said.
'The larger King (prawns), so the bigger size, are probably closer to $40 to $50 a kilo, which last year they were probably $60 to $65 a kilo.'
Supermarkets are also reflecting this trend, with Coles Deli Thawed Australian MSC Raw King Prawns currently selling for $22 a kilo and Green King Prawns Large Thawed at Woolworths for approximately $18 a kilo.
However, Papacosta warned that cheaper prawn prices might not always translate to the consumer due to the added cost of transporting the seafood.
‘Whether I see the price dropping or not is another question,’ she said.
‘So I think there will be an abundance of high-quality products on the market. And that’s good for customers. Whether it translates to the consumer price at the retail level comes down to the cost of doing business.’
Despite this, Zahos, a veteran of the fresh seafood industry for 54 years, was hopeful that he could keep prices down for his customers.
He acknowledges that last year was tough for many, with some ‘people weren’t able to afford prawns’.
“It’s been quite a hard year for everybody,’ he said.
He aimed to ensure that for ‘anyone (who) wants to put seafood on their table…this year, is a good year for people to do that.’
Unfortunately, the same can't be said for all seafood.
Oysters, another Christmas food favourite, are under threat. The supply from two of the East Coast’s biggest farming regions is in jeopardy due to a 'gastro-like illness' and heavy rainfall and flooding, according to ABC.
There may be a limited supply of oysters for the upcoming holidays. Credit: Unsplash
This has left every estuary south of Sydney unable to be harvested, just weeks out from Christmas.
There was also an urgent recall to pull out Coles’s 12-packs of Sydney City Oysters from shelves in NSW and the ACT due to a potentially dangerous labelling error.
Some packs were incorrectly labelled with a use-by date of November 30 when they should have read November 10. Consuming oysters past their use-by dates can pose serious health risks, including gastrointestinal illness.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the authorities shut down the harvest and sale of oysters from the Wallis Lake System in NSW mid-north coast near Forster and Tuncurry and are currently being investigated.
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as our seafood place have their own suppliers from bundy and local areas .
