IN FRUIT
Avocados continue to ease in price, however heavy rain in the growing areas looks likely to delay picking and possibly close roads again in far north Queensland where this early variety comes from. It might be wise to keep a little ahead on avos this next week or so. All grapes are excellent. There seems to be a new variety of grapes every week! We are coming to the end of the old season Pink Lady apples this week, however, Galas are still fantastic and we have a very good eating organic Gala from Tasmania in our stores this week at a very attractive price. The Kanzi crop seems excellent also and I think Kanzi is one of the best of the new apples on offer at present. Aussie pomegranates are now readily available and will be on special soon.
There are two left of field items I would like to discuss. Our Australian farmers have done their best to extend their blueberry season to the point we don’t need imports. We are committed to making this work 52 weeks of the year and will at least for the next few weeks continue to sell only Aussie blueberries. Not long now until the new season commences. The other point is very sensitive. As you may well be aware there was tragically a number of deaths associated with rockmelon consumption a few weeks ago. This was pinpointed to a farm in NSW. We at Harris Farm were the first to withdraw all rockmelons from sale along with one of the major supermarkets. Once we established where the problem melons were from we recommenced stocking the product we sell from the Dawson family in Victoria. Sales of course plummeted. The fruit we have is absolutely superb. The Dawson farm has never had an issue with food safety - I am selling and consuming these melons, and you can buy this fruit with confidence. As always, we have beautiful chestnuts for Easter.
IN VEGETABLES
Best news of the week is Brussels sprouts. More are arriving every day and prices are really starting to tumble. Look for great specials over the next few weeks as this once unpopular but now much loved vegetable starts its season. Zucchini, imperfect zucchini and imperfect kumera all continue to be excellent value. Broccoli seems to have now settled at a way lower price than it has been in the last couple of weeks and the quality is now far better too. Midi cos is the best value in the lettuces and we have very good supplies of 2 kg kestrel potatoes at very reasonable prices. Cucumbers are inexpensive, possibly the telegraph cucumbers are the best quality of this category. We at Harris Farm are drawing a line in the sand and are again now able to sell ONLY Australian asparagus for the next few weeks. It is just so much fresher and such a better product than the imported product, I really wish we could source from Australia all year long. Not possible just yet!
