There are serious concerns about New Zealand’s food supply after Cyclone Gabrielle destroyed a huge amount of crops in the North Island.

Supermarket shelves across the country already have limited supply of fruit and vegetables, following a supply chain breakdown and poor weather conditions for growers.

Cyclone Gabriel devastated orchards and vegetable fields in regions considered the country’s food baskets as Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne orchards were pummelled by the cyclone.

And in the Auckland and Northland floods, onion, kumara and potato crops were wiped out from the heavy rains.

In the year 2022, New Zealand contributed over $NZ 20 million to the World Food Programme, which is run by the United Nations.

According to the United Nations, New Zealand sent tens of millions of dollars overseas to help farmers in Africa grow their own crops.

A payment of $7 million was made to support smallholder farmers across Africa, including $4,200,000 committed to Rwanda until the end of 2023.

“New Zealand remains committed to working with partners to respond to the food insecurity crisis, Nanaia Mahuta said at the time of the announcment.

“This builds on earlier food security support to other countries in early 2022

Stats NZ data released recently showed food prices were 10.3 per cent higher in January 2023 than a year earlier, with fruit and vegetables prices rising 15.7 per cent from last January.