‘Everyone’s going to pay for this’: could a Melbourne rent stoush push fruit and vegetable prices higher?

Melbourne’s fruit and vegetable market is bracing for legal chaos as the Victorian government authority prepares to evict wholesalers amid skyrocketing rent prices. Decades-long tenant Shane Priest faces uncertainty over his future due to steep rent hikes, with inflation driving costs up by 6%. Growers are struggling to absorb rising expenses tied to transport and wages, while wholesalers may see their margins squeezed, potentially spiking consumer prices across Australia as a result. The authority has waived backpayments for increased terms since August, though the impact on wholesalers remains limited.