The $7 Cauliflower: Who’s Really Getting Paid? (Because It Sure Ain’t the Farmer)
You walk into Woolies or Coles, grab a cauliflower for $7, and think nothing of it.
Prices are up, sure. But you still buy it.
No one questions where that $7 actually goes.
But here’s the dirty little secret:
The grower might have received just $1.20 — if they’re lucky.
🧮 Let’s Break It Down – A $7 Head of Cauliflower
| Stakeholder | Approx. Cut |
|---|---|
| Supermarket | $3.00 – $4.00 |
| Middleman / Agent | $1.50 – $2.00 |
| Farmer | $0.80 – $1.50 |
The farmer grows it, waters it, fertilises it, harvests it, packs it, and freights it — all while battling unpredictable weather and rising costs.
Meanwhile, middlemen take their cut without lifting a shovel. They hold the cards on pricing and payment — and there are no clear rules governing them.
As NSW Farmers’ Association puts it, “the middle of the supply chain lacks accountability and transparency” NSW Farmers, 2023.
📆 Month-by-Month Retail Prices – Cauliflower, Broccoli & Celery (Per Head)
| Month | Cauli | Broccoli | Celery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | $4.50–$5.50 | $2.80–$3.50 | $3.00–$4.00 |
| Feb | $4.80–$6.00 | $3.00–$3.80 | $3.50–$4.50 |
| Mar | $5.00–$6.50 | $3.50–$4.20 | $4.00–$5.00 |
| Apr | $4.00–$5.00 | $2.50–$3.00 | $3.50–$4.50 |
| May | $4.50–$5.50 | $3.00–$3.80 | $4.00–$5.00 |
| Jun | $6.00–$7.50 | $4.50–$6.00 | $4.50–$5.50 |
| Jul | $7.00–$9.00 | $6.00–$7.00 | $4.50–$5.50 |
| Aug | $6.50–$8.00 | $5.50–$6.50 | $4.00–$5.00 |
| Sep | $3.50–$4.50 | $2.80–$3.50 | $3.50–$4.50 |
| Oct | $4.00–$5.00 | $3.00–$3.80 | $3.50–$4.50 |
| Nov | $4.50–$5.50 | $3.50–$4.20 | $3.80–$4.80 |
| Dec | $5.00–$6.00 | $4.00–$5.00 | $4.00–$5.00 |
🔗 Source: Buy Wisely, Tridge Produce Index, Guardian Food July/August 2025
🗺️ State-by-State – Retail Price per Head (2025)
| State | Cauli | Broccoli | Celery |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIC | $4.00–$5.50 | $3.50–$4.50 | $3.90–$4.95 |
| NSW | $4.50–$6.00 | $3.80–$4.80 | $4.00–$5.00 |
| QLD | $5.00–$6.50 | $4.00–$5.00 | $4.20–$5.20 |
| SA | $4.20–$5.70 | $3.60–$4.60 | $4.00–$5.00 |
| WA | $5.00–$6.50 | $4.20–$5.20 | $4.30–$5.30 |
| TAS | $4.50–$6.00 | $3.70–$4.70 | $4.10–$5.10 |
| ACT | $4.80–$6.30 | $3.90–$4.90 | $4.00–$5.00 |
| NT | $5.00–$6.50 | $4.00–$5.00 | $4.20–$5.20 |
🔗 Source: Buy Wisely, Woolworths/Coles Online, Australian Retail Snapshot June–Sept 2025
💥 The Middlemen: The Untouchables of the Supply Chain
Let’s be real.
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They set the prices after the produce is delivered.
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They delay payment for weeks — sometimes months.
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They charge “handling” and “storage” fees that no one audits.
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And they’re not governed by any fair pricing legislation.
As ABC Rural reported in 2024, farmers in QLD and VIC were forced to dump produce due to sudden price drops “decided at market level,” often without prior warning — despite rising supermarket prices.
🔗 ABC Rural – "Growers dumped produce amid price shocks"
And according to AUSVEG:
“While supermarkets profit and agents skim, growers are pushed to the brink.”
🔗 AUSVEG – Pricing & Inputs Report, Dec 2024
👨🌾 Who Carries the Risk?
✅ The farmer wears the cost of seed, labour, freight, fertiliser, fuel, water, and packaging.
✅ The middleman adds margin risk-free.
✅ The supermarket adds their cut, sets the shelf price, and collects immediately.
✅ And the public just sees the sticker price, not the story behind it.
- No one talks about who gets paid last.
- No one questions how long farmers wait to get paid — or what's left after all the deductions.
👊 It's Time to Ask the Right Questions
We’re not saying supermarkets shouldn’t profit.
We’re not saying logistics doesn’t cost money.
But we are saying this:
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Why are farmers the only ones without pricing power?
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Why can agents operate with zero legal oversight?
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Why are we accepting a system that rewards those who move boxes more than those who grow food?
🌱 Final Word
It’s time to drag the middlemen out of the shadows.
They’ve operated for too long with no scrutiny, no transparency, and no risk — while growers have weathered it all.
If the price tag says $7, and the farmer gets $1.20, you’ve got to ask: who’s the rest for?
And if the answer keeps pointing to someone in a warehouse charging “admin fees,” maybe it’s time to rethink the whole system.
Support transparency. Support Aussie growers. Demand change.
