IN FRUIT
This is the time of the year when not a lot happens. More citrus, more apples and pears and the tail end of grapes and summer berries. I am in Darwin at the moment meeting with our mango growers in the Northern Territory where the trees are flowering and at this stage it looks to be an excellent season and earlier than last year so more early September than last years October start. In the next two to three weeks summer berries will get going from Queensland, despite some very difficult weather a few weeks ago. The June long weekend will see some decent quantities arriving in Sydney. Hass avocados are now coming good and for me imperial mandarins are still the pick of the fruit.
IN VEGETABLE
Probably the best bargain this week at our stores this week is hand picked beans. Most of our competitors ( the supermarkets specifically) prefer machine picked which are of course cheaper but at most times inferior. Just occasionally they are as good but it is very rare. With hand picked the first $1 is purely the picking cost. Enjoy them this week, they are great value. Brocoli, potatoes, onions and celery all continue to provide great value too. Eggplant is far cheaper than a normal for this time of the year, most other vegies are still difficult as a result of the heavy rain a month ago.
