A jump in fruit and vegetable prices would not translate to a shortage of fresh food in WA as growers prepare to send their wares to Australia's eastern states, according to an industry group.
Torrential rain and floods across NSW, Victoria and Queensland have wreaked havoc on farmers' crops with NSW Premier Kristina Keneally estimating $500 million had been wiped from the value of yields.
VegetablesWA, which represents vegetable and potato growers, executive officer Jim Turley said farmers had already begun to ramp up their yields in preparation for the Christmas season.
"Our growers would supply WA first and then the eastern states but I still think the price will go up here because of the shortage in the eastern states," Mr Turley said.
"Stocks of fresh vegetables will be on the shelves through the Christmas season."
Mr Turley said the prices of potatoes would not rise but most other vegetables would skyrocket. He stopped short of saying prices would double, instead predicting the rise would be significant.
"Vegetables like lettuce and celery will be short in the eastern states, tomatoes will (also) be short," he said.
While certain parts of the eastern states had been put out of action because of weather in the past, it was virtually unheard of that all three states were under water, Mr Turley said.
He said WA farmers would suffer if next year was as dry as the past 12 months.
"It does (affect them) in the long term because the underground water and our dams must be recharged and if we get a very dry year next year it would be dire," he said.
