Pacific / Norfolk Island

Norfolk Island resilient despite shortages - administrator

16:29 pm on 12 March 2020

Norfolk Island will not be running out of food despite current shortages, says the island's administrator.

The shelves are almost empty at Foodland Supermarket due to shipping issues. Photo: Facebook / Betty Matthews

Eric Hutchinson was responding to reports of major shortages in supermarkets and other businesses due to a reduced shipping service.

Norfolk Island lacks the facilities to unload containers, yet almost all imports these days are containerised.

Mr Hutchinson said plans were under way to set up a system to handle containers but he said in the meantime visitors to Norfolk would not go hungry.

"One of the things about Norfolk Island, over the longest time, is that it is a very resourceful and very self-sufficient community.

"So local food production is very much part of the story for anyone that visits Norfolk Island...there is though some issues that have resulted in shortages of supply of certain goods."

In April the island was due to trial a system that would see goods delivered using containers.