Ryan Bridge talks to fruit and vege expert Glenn Forsyth about the best buys this season.
Select Foodstuffs’ supermarkets have reduced their salad leaf varieties to a “limited stock” as severe weather impacts the company’s supply chain.
Shoppers at New World Thorndon in Wellington this week began revising their shopping lists after a sign informed them that shelves were facing shortages of leafy greens.
“Due tosupply issues caused by adverse weather, we currently have limited stock of mesclun, spinach and salads.”
A Foodstuffs spokesperson said the grocery chain had been unable to avoid a logistical hit to its distribution network from last week’s stormy weather.
“We source from a variety of growers around the country and do our best to ensure interruptions in availability are short-lived – on this occasion, Mother Nature has had other plans,” the spokesperson said.
Shoppers at New World Thorndon encountered a "limited stock" of salad greens today "due to supply issues caused by adverse weather".
“We’ve been fortunate over the past 18 months with constant supply due to great growing conditions, which has made this gap even more noticeable.”
Weather pending, Foodstuffs’ supply is “expected to resume to usual levels soon”, although the stores currently affected were not specified.
“The good news is things are getting back on track and supply is expected to resume to usual levels soon – we hope the weather allows it to stay that way.”
Alternative salad options, such as iceberg lettuce, coleslaw and chopped salad kits, were still available, the spokesperson said.
Woolworths told the Herald it wasn’t experiencing any issues with its supply after the extreme weather.
Andrew Bristol of Vegetables NZ, which represents the interests of commercial vegetable growers, said it was “too early to tell” if the combination of extreme weather and winter conditions was creating shortages.
“However, to date, it has been a good growing season for vegetables thanks to the weather, so vegetable prices have been very reasonable for quite some time.”
Vegetable NZ's Andrew Bristol says despite recent weather it has mostly "been a good growing season for vegetables". Photo / NZME
New Zealand’s locally grown vegetable supply is maintained through a national distribution system that includes distribution centres on both main islands, Bristol said.
“Shorter supply could increase prices. With vegetables, it is very much the law of supply and demand.”
Fruit and vege expert Glenn Forsyth, who joined Herald NOW’s Ryan Bridge yesterday to talk about what’s recently been harvested, acknowledged growing areas such as Nelson and Pukekohe had taken a hit with recent weather.
“It’s going to cause planting gaps ... so we are going to have shortages of brassicas into spring.”
But while leafy greens and broccoli may become harder to find in the foreseeable future, Forsyth said there are plenty of other seasonal vegetables in abundance that could also ease the pressure on your wallet.
There was currently a good supply of mushrooms, carrots, onions, celery, parsnips, silver beet, leeks, radishes and yams.
