September is here and the start of Spring along with it. Let’s find out what’s in season this month.
Fruit
This month, there are still plenty of apples around, but they will be late-season varieties. The apple growers have had an excellent season and we should have some varieties available till the start of the new season in January. That said, expect the range and the quality to decline as we get further into the summer months. Most growers have finished with golden delicious and granny smiths, expect gala and fuji to follow. We will see the season out with later varieties like, pink ladies and sundowners.
Pears have had an alright season with all varieties finished, other than packham’s. However, packham’s are expected to finish by the end of the month.
Citrus is well represented, with navel oranges, lemons and good quality grapefruit available in September. There are still some tangelos, blood oranges and mandarins around, but expect them to wind up as the month progresses.
Banana supply is good from North Queensland and prices are quite low. red papaya, rockmelon, honeydew and watermelons are coming down from the same region in good supply. Sunshine Coast strawberries are struggling, it is probably one of the worst strawberry seasons in memory. Expect supply to be short and prices to remain high until the southern growers kick off early October.
Avocadoes got their own paragraph in September last year. There was so much around, coupled with a reduced demand, due to Covid related issues. Unfortunately, September 2022, is quite similar; lots of supply, low prices and low sales. Good news for the consumer, not great for the growers.
Other notable fruits are custard apples, passionfruit, lemonades and pineapples. Kiwifruit and limes are still around but supply will start to thin towards the end of the month.
Vegetables
The Mornington Peninsula growers are coming out of their winter months, expect globe artichokes and asparagus to be on early to mid-September. Broccoli has had an interesting period with market gaps and record high prices. That disruption should be behind us now, with supply and prices stable through the first month of Spring.
Beans, beetroot and brussels sprouts are in good supply, but expect Brussels sprouts to finish up mid-month. We have had a steady supply of parsnips this year, these should continue well into October.
Cauliflower are being supplied from multiple regions in good quality and at good prices. Carrots are in good supply, however, prices are up this year due to the conditions. Tasmania is on its last pick, but there are multiple Queensland growers on. Celery is tight for this time of year, so expect the pricing to reflect the market.
Cucumbers and tomatoes are still coming out of the Bundaberg region, however they are not as plentiful as previous years – quality is down and prices are up. Sweet corn supply is still being impacted by crop pests, expect lower yields and higher prices.
There are good supplies of potatoes and a glut of pumpkin available.
Zucchinis are very short and have been selling at record prices. As we get into Spring with the warmer and drier weather, they will come on and prices will finally start dropping.
Finally, there are good supplies of Chinese vegetables, eggplant and most lettuces. All these lines were adversely impacted by our unseasonably wet winter. Queensland onions should start this month, but like everything this year, they are late. Purple garlic is just around the corner.
All up there’s a very solid supply of vegetables this September. Queensland growers will be happy to get 2022 behind them and the southern suppliers will be ramping up as the month gets warmer. With all transitional months, there may be some gaps in supply, but they will be short lived.
Welcome to Spring and remember to eat all of your colours.
The Team at United Organics
Image: The Diggers Club
