As Christmas is fast approaching you may be wondering what produce is in season so you can plan for lavish platters while on a budget. Well, look no further, we have an insider who knows just what is coming in and out of season. Read below to find out for yourself!
Seasonal Fruit
Everyone loves a fruit platter on Christmas day (at least I do!) but they can be expensive. We suggest buying ‘in season’ produce to keep prices down. So, what fruits can you put on your platter this year to make it ethical, pretty, and festive?
Let’s start your platter with bulky fruits such as Watermelons, Rockmelon, and Honeydew. Melons are making a strong appearance this December thanks to North Queensland suppliers.
Mangoes would generally be in full swing by December; however, yields are down with a few farmers reporting poor settings, particularly in the Bowen region. Although disappointing, there is reasonable stock coming out of other regions. We expect supply to be okay but prices may be higher than previous years. So, keep these on your ‘maybe’ list for your fruit platters and stock up if you see them cheap!
To continue making that fruit platter look colourful, Nectarines, Peaches, Plums, and Cherries have all started to grow well, according to reports from most regions. We can expect quality to be good and prices to fall as the month progresses. This is a big improvement from last year which broke records for being wet and cold.
To top your fruit platter off and add some dimension, berries will be your secret weapon. There are currently good volumes of Strawberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries available at decent prices and quality.
Now that your fruit platter is sorted, let’s have a little look at what may be limited in supply this month.
The supply of Apples isn’t too bad, however, they’re coming out of storage, so expect a decline in quality and varieties. If you are still on the hunt for a good apple, Galas are eating well and there should be sufficient stock to get us through till the new season which starts mid to late January.
Prices of Grapes have been high over the past few months, but they should start to make an appearance this month as there are indications for a good season for most of our grape growers.
Lastly, exotic fruits like Lychees and Dragon Fruit will be available, however, expect supply to be limited.
Seasonal Vegetables
At the risk of stating the obvious, brassicas which include Cabbage, Cauliflower and Broccoli, are a winter crop. This means they will come to be more expensive and of lesser quality this month.
But don’t be discouraged just yet, because there are good supplies of Tomatoes, Zucchini, Cucumbers, Silver Beet, Chinese Veg and Salad lines.
Potatoes and Onions have had a great season in Queensland and an early Southern season, so there will most likely be an oversupply this month. The drier weather is seeing Spinach, Rocket, and Radish come back to normal supply after the past few wet years. This means potato salads and potato bake for the festive season will be in full swing and inexpensive.
As the month progresses and gets warmer, South Australian Celery will kick off alongside their summer Cabbages and Broccoli. Carrots, Beetroot, and Brassicas are going to be supplied by Tasmanian growers late in December.
Have a very Berry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!
The Team at United Organics
Image: The Diggers Club
