16/11/2025
Two weeks is all it took to turn a relatively cheap market into a bit of an expensive one. The good news is: most supply constraints that are behind the price hikes a bit are temporary.
In most cases, we’re in between growing regions: one has finished but the other hasn’t quite got started.
Mangoes are a case in question: KPs from the Northern Territories – Darwin and Katherine – have finished, but the North Queensland regions of Bowen and Mareeba won’t start picking in earnest until late November.
However, we will have R2E2 – and they come in one size only: BIG.
Strawberries are also tight, thanks to unseasonably (really??) cool weather in Melbourne.
We will have both regular and Jumbo punnets – but they will be pricey.
You might want to focus on blueberries this week: the regular ones are under $4, but we’ll also have Jumbo (that relates to the size of the blueberry, not the punnet) which will be under $6 a punnet.
Apples are getting so tight, we may have limited or no supply of the Christmas/New Year period. Suffice to say: they will stay expensive until the new season starts.
(Royal Gala won’t start until February, and Pink Lady not until April or May).
In better news: peaches, nectarines and apricots are coming down – but for cherry prices to drop below $15/kg will require a good spell of warm and dry weather in northern Victoria. The forecast is looking good so far 🤞🤞.
In other fruit: melons are great value, citrus is good (limes are down to 75c), papaya and pineapples are cheap, but kiwi fruit will finish in a week or two.
The story in vegetables is similar: beans and peas are up, neither broccoli nor broccolini are cheap, cucumbers are up and capsicums are expensive. However, cauliflowers, cabbages of any persuasion, leafy greens, most herbs, zucchini, corn, lettuces and snacking tomatoes are good value.