In season this week - Nov 16

It’s another week where vegetables will be more expensive than in previous months but despite the short supply of some lines in the Brisbane Produce Market, watch out for specials on cauliflower and broccoli.

In season now - 

• Mangoes are well supplied, of excellent quality and a reasonable price, although expect the R2E2 variety to drop in price over the next week as an oversupply hits the Market.
•  Its peak season for beetroot, which is not only a tasty root vegetable to cook up but the green tops are great as a substitute for spinach or to add to soups and salads,
• The Queensland strawberry season has extended with good quality product from Stanthorpe bolstering supplies from Victoria..
• Corn, beans and zucchinis are still remaining firm in price while capsicums are in even shorter supply, despite the use of imported product, and should be expensive. The recent rains have left farmers battling to pick quality potatoes which have kept prices high.
• Carrots have been consistently good in supply, quality and price all year and there are a wider range of gourmet varieties to sample including purple, Dutch and golf ball carrots.
• Rainy weather is still affecting the quality of green leafy salad lines, including lettuce, with the iceberg variety the exception, dropping in price.
• Tomatoes are under supplied and their quality is varied..
• Bananas have firmed in price but their quality is good.

Hotting up -

• Stonefruit is starting to taste its best with peaches and nectarines now joined by apricots.
• Lychees, figs and blueberries are still dribbling onto the shelves and will remain expensive until later in the season.

On the way out - 

•  Citrus is at its seasonal end with some good navels still available, although Valencias are the pick of the crop and of great value. Lemons are scarce and expensive. 
• Australian hass avocados are at the end of their season and supplies are being topped up by New Zealand product that is still of mixed quality

What's the Brisbane Produce Market? 

 

• Brisbane Produce Market is Queensland’s sole wholesale fresh fruit and vegetable market and one of six Central Markets found in Australia.
• It is located at Rocklea, 11kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD.
• This wholesale market is the centerpiece for the selling and distribution of horticulture produce that is trucked, railed, shipped and flown from throughout Australia and overseas to the Rocklea site.
• Brisbane Produce Markets’ 52 primary wholesalers and an additional 93 support businesses act as a clearing house for approximately 7,000 growers who supply produce.
• Prices change on a daily basis, influenced by supply and demand, with factors such as size, quantity and quality also playing a part.
• Approximately 1,000 buyers, including fruit and vegetable retailers, secondary wholesalers, provedores, restaurants, cafes, food service businesses and exporters source their fresh produce requirements from the Markets.
• An average of 600,000 tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables pass through the Brisbane Produce Market each year.
• Brisbane Produce Market’s had an assessed throughput value of $1.074 billion recorded during the 2007/08 financial year.
• Other Central Markets are located in Adelaide, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and Sydney.