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Capsicums are a staple in Australian households, with 65 per cent of shoppers adding them to their grocery baskets last year.
But do you know what makes some capsicums green and others red or yellow?
Or why capsicum prices seem to fluctuate week to week?
Colour and cost
In 2023, Australia produced nearly 74,000 tonnes of capsicums.
Just over half of our capsicums are grown in Queensland, but they are also grown in southern parts of the country.
Daniel Felton grows 40 types of fruit and vegetables on Western Australia's south coast.
Mr Felton's main crop is capsicums, which he sells directly to the public and independent supermarkets.
"We average about 100 tonnes of capsicums each year, and supply four local supermarkets, one farmers market and a local pizza shop," he said.
"We grow a green variety which does well in our cooler climate, and then one which goes from green to red, and then another which starts green and grows to yellow," he said.
Mr Felton said prices varied between the different colours.
"Reds might cost on average $2 a kilo less than yellows, and then green capsicums are probably another $2 less," he said.
Carl Walker is president of the Bowen Gumlu Growers Association and grows capsicums in Queensland's Whitsunday region.
He said when it came to capsicums, cost and colour were linked.
"Green capsicums are just red or yellow ones [that] haven't matured, and they're cheaper because they take about two to three weeks less to grow," he said.
"Yellows are a little harder to grow, so they fetch a higher price.
"And the orange variety doesn't produce as much, so that's why they're worth a bit more in supermarkets."
Changing tastes
According to vegetable industry body AUSVEG, Australia's capsicum production has remained "reasonably consistent" in recent years due to steady consumer demand.
But Mr Walker said this wasn't always the case.
"Once upon a time, capsicum wasn't widely grown here in Queensland – it was mainly tomatoes, pumpkins, and broadacre crops," he said.
"But when migrants started to arrive here with diverse foods like capsicum, the wider community realised how nice they are to eat.
"After all, you can eat them raw or cooked, put them on the barbie, and even use them as egg rings."
Still, Mr Walker said Australians weren't the most adventurous capsicum consumers.
"Everyone uses red and green capsicums, whereas people haven't quite warmed up to yellows and oranges – even though you cannot beat an orange capsicum," he said.
But Mr Felton says cost-of-living pressures may be changing this.
"Red is naturally what most people want, but everyone's very price-conscious these days so they might buy cheaper green capsicums instead," he said.
From a farmer's perspective, Mr Felton said it was best to grow multiple varieties.
"You've got to spread your risk," he said.
"If the market's short on greens, we can pick our red variety while they're green and still get a decent return."
Mr Walker said the last few years have been tough for growers.
"The seasons have been short up here in Queensland because of the hot weather, which really affects the quality of capsicums," he said.
Mr Walker said imports were also putting pressure on Australian growers.
"The capsicums coming out of New Zealand are grown in glasshouses and look perfect, so they're preferred by supermarkets and some fresh food merchants," he said.
"It's unfortunate because our field-grown capsicums might not look [like] they've come out of a factory, but they eat bloody beautifully."
Shoppers being 'shafted' by supermarket mark-ups
This year, northern growers are anticipating an above-average capsicum crop.
However, Mr Walker said this can be a double-edged sword.
"Driving past all the crops on the highway, the capsicums are looking really good – the growers should be proud of themselves," he said.
"The only problem is when you're getting good production, the volumes go up and prices consequently come down."
Mr Walker said this wasn't reflected in supermarket prices.
"They can be paying us $2 a kilo, but you'll see capsicums on the shelf for $7.50 or $7.99 a kilo," he said.
"That's a bloody good mark-up."
An AUSVEG spokesperson said to ensure Australians "continue enjoying capsicums … it is crucial growers receive fair and sustainable farm gate prices for their produce".
Mr Walker said it wasn't just growers doing it tough.
"We need to put a lot more pressure on the supermarkets because consumers — mums and dads who are struggling — are still getting shafted, and I think that's wrong," he said.
The major supermarkets claimed they were not to blame for variable capsicum prices.
A Coles spokesperson said "weather conditions have impacted consistency of overall supply, compared to last year".
A Woolworths spokesperson said poor growing conditions in South Australia and Queensland had led to "lower supply and higher prices across the market".
"However, supply has improved in recent weeks and our retail prices have followed the market trend, with the price of capsicums in our stores coming down," the spokesperson said.
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