David Stewart: Better weather means salad days are back

With better weather, salad time is here.

There are good supplies of avocados, cucumbers, lettuces and tomatoes in the marketplace, all at very attractive prices.

Tomatoes are selling at some of the cheapest prices since last summer, so take advantage of this. Capsicums have decreased in volume over the last few days which have seen a slight price increase but nothing too drastic.

Again this week avocado sales are spectacular and it is nice to see you enjoying this lovely fruit.

In the green vegetable area, nice fresh new season asparagus, beetroot, broccoli, courgettes and eggplant are the best selling item this week.

Cauliflowers and celery is firm in price but over the last few days we have seen Australian beans drop in price.

All in all a great selection of nice fresh vegetables for you to choose from.

The supply of Pukekohe new season carrots and potatoes is only adequate to say the least with firm prices across the range.

The weather is the main cause of the supply problem and until it settles into a nice summer weather pattern, things won't change.

The Pukekohe red and white washed potatoes are very nice eating but you need to refrigerate them at this time of year.

Better news with good supplies of Northland kumara, Hawke's Bay crown pumpkins and imported buttercup and butternut all available at reasonable prices.

We still have Pukekohe brown onions in reasonable numbers and really nice American red onions.

Gisborne navel oranges and tangelos are at their best at this time of year.

The navel oranges and tangelos are both very nice, sweet and extremely juicy.

Your choice of mandarins is either the New Zealand Encore variety or the Australian Afourer mandarin.

To round out your citrus choice you will find local lemons and imported limes.

Premium grade extra large green and gold kiwifruit continue to sell well and the supply of apples is now exclusively the premium grade yummy branded apples.

This week we may hopefully see the first cherries of the season from Hawke's Bay.

They will be the early Burgsdorf variety which is a small cherry but remember this will be the beginning of good things to come for summer.

The following week hopefully we will see some apricots and a big improvement on the nectarines we have at present.

Last but not least, let's talk berries.

The season is well under way now with some really nice fruit available. You will find both local and Waikato strawberries and prices are very reasonable for this time of year.

Last week we received the first of the new season blueberries and a further supply of raspberries but please be warned they are not cheap and as always as volumes increase, prices will decrease.

Imports available this week include US grapes and pomegranates, Australian mangoes and melons and a better supply of Ecuador bananas.

Remember to buy what is in season and on special.

- David Stewart is the owner of The Fresh Market Gate Pa and home delivery service Mygreengrocer.co.nz