Growers were already dealing with a devastating drought before the bushfire crisis burned crops and forced the closure of several key roads on which vegetables would be shipped from farm to market.

Veggie prices could rise as much as 20 to 50 percent, and Queensland will be particularly hit by this.  Much of the state's produce comes from Victoria or new South Wales, but the Princes Highway has been shut by the fires.  That means trucks are having to take the long way around - that means times and money.

"That product has to be rerouted through Melbourne and up the Hume Highway, which adds significantly to the time, cost and duration of moving product around," said James Whiteside, chief executive of vegetable industry's peak body AUSVEG.  "That's certainly having an impact on what you're seeing on the supermarket shelves in the northern half of Australia."

This will impact cauliflower, broccoli, green leafy vegetables including rocket and spinaches, and root vegetables such as potatoes and pumpkins.