Fruit and vegetables Cabbages and cauliflowers cheaper, swedes plentiful

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 2

Fruit and vegetables Cabbages and cauliflowers cheaper, swedes plentiful

Cabbages and cauliflowers were cheaper on market floors this week. It was noticeable that the price of cauliflowers varied considerably according to quality. Cabbages have been plentiful every day, as have cauliflowers on most days. Supplies of locally-grown cabbages have been supplemented by some from Nelson.

Lettuces also varied greatly in quality and price. The carrot and parsnip market is steady, good supplies coming from growers every day. Swedes from Southland and other areas are plentiful, as are onions. Silver beet was in full supply, although at this time of the year the grower still has to compete with the home gardener. Well graded and well packed spinach was in strong demand. A small quantity of white turnips trickles in to the markets each day and yesterday small eases sold for 80c to $l.

Growers have about come to the end of “paddock pumpkins,” and most in the markets from now will have been stored. Red pumpkins have almost finished for the season and the Crown variety will take over. There could be a patch of two or three weeks when pumpkins

are less but after that the market should be well supplied. Leeks, a winter vegetable, continue to be plentiful, as is celery. Brussells sprouts, however, are still not coming in to the markets in the same quantities as in previous years. Yesterday these sold for $7.40 a 6kg to 7kg bag. The auctioning of ripe Ecuadorean bananas continued this week and more are expected to be offered today. Prices varied according to quality, the average being half the normal wholesale price. Because more than the usual quantity of bananas has been auctioned this week there will probably be

a week or 10 days between shipments when the markets are without bananas.

The next shipment of bananas from Ecuador is expected on July 2, but the fruit will probably not be in the shops until July 6. A small shipment from the Islands might tide the market over.

Queensland navel oranges arrived on Tuesday and were available to retailers on Wednesday. South Australian “Riverland” oranges are expected next week and this should ensure that regular supplies from Australia are in the shops. New Zealand marmalade oranges are gaining more colour and no doubt these are being used as grapefruit Both varieties of mandarins, the easy-peeling Satsuma and the more highly coloured Clementine, are plentiful and in strong demand.

As usual, during the winter, the price of tomatoes is firm as the quantity on the market floor is not great Supplies of Auckland hothouse tomatoes arrived yesterday. Only a few isolated consignments of capsicums, courgettes, and eggplants are arriving.

The price of tamarillos at present is much lower in the South Island than in the

North. Accordingly supplies in local markets have not been as heavy this week. Passion fruit are still appearing regularly in small quantities. Coconuts and watermelons arrived from Tonga on Monday and met with a good demand. Coconuts averaged 38c each in the market, and watermelons $7 to $8 each. Plenty of New Zealand lemons are available. Meyer lemons, a more highly coloured fruit than the New Zealand Standard lemon, were auctioned on Monday. The Meyer lemon has more juice thaft the New Zealand Standard, and its skin is thinner. Most of the kiwifruit exporting for the year is over, so we should see more of this fruit in the local markets. Prices for kiwifruit were firm yesterday, export quality selling for $5 to $7 a tray, and $lO to $l4 a halfcase.

Kiwifruit is delicious when cut in half and eaten with a spoon or it can be peeled and sliced. This fruit is ready to eat when slightly soft to touch. An excellent source of vitamin C, it should be stored chilled. Recipe ideas: Use kiwifruit for open sandwiches, snacks, fruit salad desserts, with yoghurt, green salad.