Farmers in Victoria and New South Wales are facing rejections from supermarkets, leading to over three thousand kilograms of asparagus being discarded. The cause of this rejection stems from weather-induced slight curves in the crops, which has raised concerns among the agricultural community about the increasing cosmetic demands of retailers. Despite the asparagus being perfectly edible, with no compromise on taste or texture, the aesthetic standards set by supermarkets have resulted in significant wastage.
Josh Ball, the founder of Farmers Pick, highlighted the issue in discussions, emphasizing that the rejection is "100% aesthetic and purely how it looks." This situation underscores the challenges faced by farmers in meeting the visual criteria imposed by supermarkets, which can lead to food wastage even when the produce is of good quality and safe to consume.