Queensland strawberry farmers are counting the costs after half a million young plants died soon after being purchased and planted.
Queensland Strawberry Growers Association President (QSGA) Adrian Schultz said the cause was still a mystery.
"We're seeing 100 per cent death rates of a particular variety; the investigations are ongoing as to the reasons for that," Mr Schultz said.
"Half a million plants have died as a result of whatever has happened."
Mr Schultz said the juvenile plants, known in the industry as runners, were worth between 45 and 55 cents each.
Sweets Strawberry Runners, who supplied the plants from Stanthorpe, the QSGA, and individual growers have separately sent samples away for testing, which is being paid for by the propagator.
"They have been sent to pathology labs to try to determine if it's a disease issue," Mr Schultz said.
"It's looking less likely that it's a disease issue, so we have to start following other paths of investigation."
Sweets Strawberry Runners general manager Wally Sweet said the variety that died was called Scarlet Rose and he had sent replacement plants of other varieties to any affected growers who wanted them.
Mr Sweet said residue tests had shown no sign of glyphosate or any other chemicals or fungicides at levels that would cause concern.
He estimated that around 10 growers were impacted.
"Scarlet Rose has been in production for about five or six years and has not become a major variety because of soft fruit and plants that are susceptible to disease," Mr Sweet said.
"Most of the growers have been very understanding."
Mr Sweet said while it was devastating, one smaller grower said to him: "We know that Sweets don't purposely want to do this."
He said it was the second year in a row that Scarlet Rose plants had died, although fewer runners were affected in 2022 despite it being abnormally wet.
"What happened this year is not connected to last year; conditions were so abnormal with the flooding and lack of sun," Mr Sweet said.
Queensland supplies most of Australia's strawberries, growing around 50 million plants every year, with peak production in winter.
Mr Schultz said consumers could expect higher prices in the short term when picking began for the season.
He explained that the runner deaths were part of a bigger price crunch caused by the delayed and limited supply of young plants because of unfavourable weather.
"All of our major propagators this year have struggled with weather conditions," Mr Schultz said.
"A breeder down in Victoria has had snow during summer, Stanthorpe has had one of the coolest more overcast summers that they've had for a long time."
He said many Queensland growers were still waiting on millions of plants.
"Once it really starts cooling down, we don't get the development of the plant that we need to produce the strawberries that we need because the plants are too small."
Mr Schultz said the impact on retail prices would also depend on whether Victorian growers chose to or could, depending on the weather, extend their season to fill gaps in supply.
After a horror year caused by flooding in 2022, Queensland growers had been hoping for a good start to the year to recoup their costs when prices were traditionally higher.
An increasing number of growers have begun planting on tabletops and gutter systems to avoid soil-borne diseases and gain more control over watering and drainage.
