As I get older each year seems to fly by more quickly and with January already drawing to a close, I am left wondering where it went!
It has been a tough couple of months for growers with a wet and cold spring and a wet summer causing a lot of quality issues for berries and leaf crops especially. While the weather has improved, we are now seeing some shortages in the market.
- Lettuce, broccoli and to some extent cabbages and cauliflower have shortened up in supply forcing the market prices a little higher than they have been. However, demand is soft and sales across Victoria are quite flat so we don’t expect prices to stay elevated for very long.
- Tomatoes, pumpkin and watermelon have good numbers coming into market and this has seen the price fall across these lines. We have been able to secure both Round Gourmet and Roma tomatoes of excellent quality for sauce at very reasonable prices. I would recommend that you don’t hesitate if you want to make sauce do it now. Traditionally February March is sauce time but I think a few of those growers lost crops due to flooding.
- Stone fruit supply is starting to slow a little and while cherries and apricots are still available from Tasmania they will only be around for a few more weeks. Peaches and plums are still going strong and we are seeing the first pick of new season apples hitting the grower’s floor.
- Apples really won’t be of good eating quality until the sugars come up in the fruit and that generally requires a few cold nights.
- New season Williams pears are now in stock and we have some amazing local blueberries available for the next few weeks
- Make sure you make hay while the sun shines!
- Cheers, Dean
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