By Jamie Salter
Supermarket giant Woolworths has issued a warning Victorians may experience a meat product and poultry shortage due to Covid-19 related challenges faced by suppliers.
A Woolworths spokesperson said stores may have reduced availability of some products at points throughout the day, before receiving their next delivery.
“Deliveries continue to arrive daily and we’re doing all we can with our suppliers to restock our shelves as quickly as possible, with a particular focus on fresh food and essentials lines,” they said.
“We expect to see availability improve over the coming weeks.
“While there are more gaps on our shelves than usual, we have enough stock coming through our network for customers to do a family shop.”
The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) said both the Federal and Victorian Governments need to fast-track the supply of rapid antigen tests (RAT) and ease isolation requirements for the essential supply chain workforce.
VFF president Emma Germano said the rise of Covid-19 cases in Victoria and the subsequent isolation of workers was putting pressure on supply chains.
“The less workers there are to maintain our supply chains, the more vulnerable it becomes, and this directly threatens our food security,” Ms Germano said.
“Farmers can’t provide the food and fibre needed to feed the country without the means to transport it via our essential supply chains.
“We warned both the Federal and Victorian Governments in October last year of this very scenario and to see this eventuate months later is incredibly frustrating.”
