Vegetable growers supplying supermarkets enjoy high demand, while restaurant suppliers face long road to recovery

Vegetable growers in southern Queensland are enjoying a surge in the demand and price for their homegrown produce during the coronavirus lockdown. Key points: Vegetable farmer Mitch Brimblecombe likened the demand for staple vegetables in supermarkets to the demand for toilet paper Vegetable farmer Mitch Brimblecombe likened the demand for staple vegetables in supermarkets to the demand for toilet paper Theresa Scholl has been forced to destroy her vegetable crops and feed them to her livestock Theresa Scholl has been forced to destroy her vegetable crops and feed them to her livestock Some growers who supply restaurants are concerned the industry could take up to two years to recover It comes as supermarkets report some of the strongest retail figures on record due to increased demand from shoppers opting for healthy produce. 'It's just worm tucker' Boonah vegetable farmer Theresa Scholl grows specialised varieties of herbs and vegetables, such as kale, coriander, rainbow carrots and beetroot — most of which are destined for dinner plates in Queensland restaurants. "A housewife doesn't want a bunch of coriander, so it's more for a restaurant trade, so we have seen a big decline in that area," Ms Scholl said. Vegetable grower Theresa Scholl says it's "disappointing" having to destroy crops or feed them to livestock on her Boonah property.