Lockyer Valley lettuce farmers devastated by a sequence of natural disasters are in dire need of a multi-million-dollar relief package to prevent them leaving the industry, the peak horticulture group has warned.
Growcom acting chief executive Richard Shannon said some lettuce farmers had lost their third crop in a row, risking the collapse of their business after February's floods and months of unseasonable rain.
It has led to iceberg lettuce prices in major supermarkets climbing to up to $12 each, while other fresh vegetables are still retailing at high prices after months of shortages and severe weather.