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Woolworths, Coles raise watermelon prices up to $34 - here's why

Aussies looking forward to biting into a slice of watermelon may have to steer away from it for now as the price of the fruit surges at Woolworths and Coles stores across the country.

Watermelons at Woolworths are currently selling for $34 online. At Coles, the fruit is selling for $28.

Why prices are up

First of all, watermelons are currently not in season. Australia's favourite fruit is in fact a summer fruit and is in season between December to May.

Watermelons in plastic at Woolworths
Watermelon prices in Woolworths and Coles have gone up for a number of reasons. Source: Getty

As watermelons sold in Australia are 100 per cent grown in the country, its supply is susceptible to a variety of factors such as bad weather.

Speaking with Yahoo News Australia, a Woolworths spokesperson explained that the retailer is paying a lot more to suppliers due to the reduced supply and bad weather that has hit key farming regions.

"We pay farmers the market price for their produce, which can vary throughout the year due to weather, seasonality, supply and demand," the spokesperson said.

"Currently, we're paying a lot more to our suppliers for watermelon due to the reduced supply in the market and ongoing bad weather in key growing regions.

"We operate in a highly competitive market and we're always working to strike the right balance so suppliers receive a fair market price and our customers have access to affordable fresh produce," the spokesperson explained further.

When will prices drop?

Prices of watermelons should drop as the weather warms up and the fruit comes back into season at the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Australians can expect to see other fresh produce prices fall in the next few weeks, according to retail expert Gary Mortimer.

Following months of price hikes, Mortimer previously shared with Yahoo News Australia that produce prices are expected to drop back to normal due to warmer weather as farmers in growing regions have time to re-establish their fields and grow new crops.

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