By Lily Nothling, ABC
Shelves are even empty in Mount Isa, almost 2,000km from where the cyclone crossed the coast. Photo: ABC/Maddie Nixon
Tropical Cyclone Alfred has left supermarkets shelves stripped bare across Queensland and northern New South Wales.
The cyclone's slow track towards the coast meant there were days of panic buying before severe weather arrived.
With recovery efforts now in full swing, shoppers are still facing supply shortages - even thousands of kilometres from the disaster zone.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli urged the supermarkets to "put all their resources into making sure the shelves are full".
"People in many cases will be getting power back for the first time in a long time and they need to go and restock their fridges and freezers and their cupboards," Crisafulli said.
What's causing the shortages?
Coles said it increased its order volumes ahead of the cyclone and introduced product limits to help manage availability.
"We monitor weather forecasts and distribute 'cyclone stock' ahead of time including water, baby formula and other essential goods," a Coles spokesperson said.
Coles Brisbane distribution centre closed on Friday but reopened on Saturday, resulting in some "unavoidable delivery delays" across its network of stores.
Rail closures north of Brisbane had also impacted supply to the rest of the state, but the supermarket giant said deliveries were on their way via road.
"Our team does everything possible to ensure our customers can access the groceries they need; however, in some cases, our deliveries are delayed - and it can take some time before the shelves are restocked with everyone's favourite items," the spokesperson said.
Woolworths said it also had hundreds of trucks back on the road in the aftermath of the cyclone as teams worked to restock shelves.
"With our suppliers also experiencing significant disruptions and closures during the peak of the weather, a number of fresh products including meat, bread, fruit and vegetables may be in reduced supply in your local store over the coming days," Woolworths state manager Danny Baldwin said.
"Our stores with in-house bakeries are baking as much bread fresh on site as possible to boost availability for our customers."
The supermarket said online services would gradually reopen where safe and possible, with the first order windows for delivery or pick-up to be available towards the end of the week.
"Please be mindful that as our stock levels recover, there may be higher substitutions in your order than usual," Baldwin said.
Coles has introduced purchase limits on some products on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: ABC News
While the cyclone halted loading and distribution over the weekend, Queensland Trucking Association CEO Gary Mahon said operations were getting back to normal quite quickly.
"Some people in the south east will be affected for distribution temporarily - there are some supermarkets we won't be able to get into for another day or two," Mahon said.
"The good news - if you can describe it like that - is the major corridors are still open, and that means the tempo of freight distribution into the north and central Queensland should really start to pick up."
How has fresh produce been affected?
Growers in the Mulgowie area in Queensland's Lockyer Valley were smashed by heavy rain and floodwaters when ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred pushed inland.
The region grows leafy vegetables like lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower.
Crowley Vale farmer Lorena Huggins had been hit hard, with 82 hectares of cabbages, plus her lucerne crops potentially wiped out.
"Financially, that is going to set us back quite hard - that is our only income," Huggins said.
"We only just started recovering from the floods back in 2022 where we got hit twice that year.
"There are quite a few of us who aren't coping real well mentally around here."
Lockyer Valley Growers Association president Michael Sippell said while there was still plenty of produce coming out of other regions, the severe weather had taken a toll.
"It's heartbreak, I don't know how else to describe it," Sippell said.
"We're probably looking at at least two weeks before growers will get back on the ground again to plant, and that's if the sun comes out."
What will be the impact on shoppers?
Managing director of Brisbane fruit and vegetable wholesaler Alfred E Chave, Anthony Joseph, said he expected to receive a backlog of stock by Wednesday.
But he said the flooding could impact some early winter crops.
"Things like beans and corn and lettuce and things - some of that may be affected," he said.
"[Growers] may not be able to work that ground and get a crop in now that would come in in 12 weeks."
Sippell said shoppers were unlikely to notice a change in prices for now.
"The prices may affect consumers in two months' time, three months' time because the planting gaps will start," he said.
- ABC
