For small livestock producers, who supply farmer's markets or use direct sales methods, the latest coronavirus wave has set back sales, at a time when they were poised to take advantage of supply shortages.
Miramonte Farm, Strathbogie, co-owner Sue Jones supplies beef to farmers' markets but found coronavirus had affected the abattoir where she sent her cattle for slaughter.
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Ms Jones said Miramonte hadn't initially gone back to the markets, this year, as they were unable to get their animals processed at Hardwicks, Kyneton,
The works wasn't taking private kills, due to staff shortages.
"We were lucky enough to slot the animals into Gathercoles, Wangaratta, but they don't deliver to our butcher, in East Kilmore," Ms Jones said.
The carcases were eventually delivered to a butcher in Broadford, before being brought back to East Kilmore, but that added to the cost of processing.
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"There has been a little bit of a vacancy, at the markets, while people were waiting for the abattoirs to open," Ms Jones said.
"If the supermarkets are empty, we sell from nose to tail, so people would have been able to get all their favorite cuts.
"But it sounds as though it's just not the abattoirs
"It's also the butchers, who break down the animals, who are affected - as well as the deliveries for the large scale supermarkets."
Ms Jones said she attended Flemington and Coburg farmers' markets, with regular customers very happy to see them back.
"Those who were keen to buy products like mince, often a couple of packs, tended to be new to farmers' markets.
"Hopefully those people enjoy the quality of the food, the experience of shopping in an outdoor environment and supporting small scale Victorian producers and will return again."
Castlemaine farmers' market manager Chris Hain said he had heard of lamb producers, who supplied the weekly market, who had trouble getting kill space.
Kyabram pork producer Claire Coates said a 'solid' relationship with abattoirs and butchers meant Freeland Pork's production had not been affected.
"We have been able to carry on production as usual, there were a couple of minor interruptions, due to staff shortages," Ms Coates said.
Freeland sells directly, through farmers' markets and selected regional butchers.
"Sales in January are generally lower, than in other months, however they have been really steady and I think that has a bit to do with the fact there has been a shortage of meat elsewhere."
She predicted some shoppers would switch to farmers' markets.
"We hope people who don't normally come to farmers' markets will continue, even when the shelves are stocked again.
"We would be hoping this is a positive thing to come out of a negative situation, that more people will support small businesses at farmers' markets."