01/02/2025
Fruit
Wow, fruit-wise you simply can’t go wrong this week (with the exception of berries):
Dragon FruitIn the Tropical department, mangoes are still surprisingly good value, small pineapples (topless) are back at just $2.50 each, bananas and papaya are still reasonably priced, limes are cheap (67c) – but the piece-de-resistance: large Panama passionfruit, full of juice and pulp, and just 75c each. They may not look glamour, but they eat superbly. BTW: passionfruit in Colesworth is $1.50-$2 each… Lychees are up a bit due to Chinese New Year demand.
Some surprises in stone fruit as well: late season cherries from Tasmania are $14.50 a kilo. Because they take longer to ripen in Tasmania’s cooler climate, they have developed a depth of flavour unmatched by mainland cherries. The other surprise: plum prices have crashed by almost 50% overnight to under $4 a kilo. Peaches and nectarines are still in ample supply, but apricots are approaching the season’s end.
Whilst we’re waiting for rockmelons from Hay – any day now – you can tuck into seedless watermelon ($1.34 a kilo), the Dino or the regular white honeydew – both still reasonably priced.
Berries are mostly Victorian and some are heat-affected – so we’re not taking any risk. Cheap berries are usually cheap for a reason…
Figs are off the menu for now, but Dragon Fruit are back on – and surprisingly good value considering we’re in the lead-up to Chinese New Year. They’re $4.33 each, and red to boot!
And here’s a novelty: finger limes.
Vegetables
Meanwhile, what’s happening in vegetables:
Hass avocadoes remain pricey (over $3 a pop), but this week Reed avos are coming to the rescue again: a tad bigger, creamier (and less nutty) and better value at $2.63 each.
Beans are still pricey -snow peas and sugarsnap are better value
Corn is up because it’s on special in both Coles and Woolies, are they’ve sucked the market dry – leaving the rest of us to fight it out…😟.
Broccoli is about 20% cheaper this week, and broccolini is still $2.60 a bunch – so don’t hold back. In other Brassica news: cauliflowers are scarce – they’re not fond of summer – and George Portelli’s small red cabbages have run out. However, he’s now switching to green cabbages: still small, but a tad bigger than the reds – and $2 each. Here’s to coleslaw. Oh, and kale – both green and Tuscan – remain indestructibly cheap.
Capsicums are steady, but cucumbers will be cheaper by 10% - and possibly more. About time too.
Green cabbageHerbs and Asian greens are under a bit of supply pressure, as a lot of small market growers have returned to China to celebrate Chinese Lunar New Year with their families. Prices will be a little elevated for most of February. The exception is Kangkung or Chinese Spinach: plenty of supply and prices have dropped to around $2 a bunch. The same goes for shallots
Are potato prices on their way down? Having spent several months – well, actually: most of last year – at pretty elevated levels, washed Nadines have come down to $2.50 a kilo. Let’s hope they stay there.
