Fruit and veg prices to spike by up to 29 per cent with labour shortages, ABARES says ThuThursday 4 updated ThuThursday 4 ABARES forecasts fruit and vegetable prices will rise by between 7 and 29 per cent. ( Share Print text only Cancel A new report by ABARES predicts consumers will be paying for the shortfall of harvest workers this season, with prices for fruit and vegetables expected to spike. Key points: ABARES report finds veg and fruit production could fall by two and 17 per cent respectively, with farm labour shortages The report says the resulting higher prices will be felt until the 2021-2022 harvest season