Produce scene Now is the time for winter vegetable

Press, 20 April 1979, Page 2

Produce scene Now is the time for winter vegetable

Light frosts of a morning and nippy evening temperatures indicate that salad days are drawing to a close and that winter vegetables are in order for the meal of the day. Typical winter vegetables, Brussels sprouts and leeks, are becoming more prominent on the produce scene. Prices of sprouts are much the same as last week but the quantities of both these and leeks will continue to increase in the next few months.

Although varying somewhat in quality, plenty of cauliflowers are available. Demand for Southland swedes is increasing as their season continues.

Heavy supplies of cabbages dominated market auctions on Wednesday and Thursday this week. They sold well at $1 for a bag of eight, except for the Savoy and red cabbage varieties which fetched up to §2.80 a bag. Harvesting of courgettes is almost finished; yesterday they fetched from.slo to $l3 a half-case, quite an increase on last week.

On the whole, reasonably, good supplies of most vegetables are available.

Things are beginning to look ominous for the glasshouse vegetable industry, according to a report in the latest “Canterbury Growers’ Review.”

It says it seems that for the first time gross returns to glasshouse growers have fallen behind the rate of inflation. Figures received indicate that losses of between 5 and 10 per cent have been incurred by growers.

Prices for vegetables are virtually static and have been so for many years, says the report, which attributes earlier growth of gross income to increased production. This year, however, rising costs of inputs such as fuel and electricity, needed for commercial glasshouses, have wiped out any gains. The report says that only the growers who have no big overheads such as servicing costs remaining from capital used to buy or develop their property, and who have converted to coal,

5 are in a position to grow • winter crops. 1 On the fruit scene, sub- : tropical North Island feijoas > are becoming more popular 1 further south. They can be eaten either by cutting them , in half and scooping out the , pulp with a teaspoon, or they ■ can be stewed or preserver! . for presentation as a special i treat. : A little-consumed com- > modify in Christchurch,

locally grown figs, made a small appearance at the markets this week. These tender-skinned fruits were snapped up by retailers. For those in Christchurch who still have open fireplaces, the roasting of chestnuts, a favourite English pastime, can start now. Although at luxury prices chestnuts were, like the figs, snapped up by buyers. They were wholesaling at $2.50 a kilogram. More chestnuts are expected. In the nut line, several consignments of walnuts, mostly from Banks Peninsula, were available. The tamarillo season is a little slow in starting this year but more of this North Island sub-tropical fruit should be in the markets before long. They sold yesterday for up to $l4 a halfcarton. Local varieties of rock melons are available every day. There is still a little stone fruit, mainly late varieties of nectarines and peaches. The demand is good, particularly for quality fruit. Present shipments of ba-

nanas are now almost exhausted but a new consignment is due at Lyttelton on Monday. After ripening, these should be available by next Friday. Grapefruit and Florida Valencia oranges are plentiful and the target of supermarket specials, as are lemons. A shipment of Minneolas, otherwise know'n as tan gerines or tangeloes, is due next Thursday. Supplies of outdoor grapes are dwindling but home growers might like to try this recipe with their grapes before they finish. GRAPE AND CHEESE SALAD IOOg cream cheese 1 cup grapes 6 fresh pear halves 2tbsp milk 6 lettuce leaves a little lemon juice Method: Place cream cheese in bowl. Mash with fork. Stir in milk. Beat until mixture is smooth. Pull grapes off stems and wash. Cut in halves and remove seeds. Brush pear halves with lemon juice and place, round side up, on a lettuce leaf on individual serving dishes. Spread cream cheese all over outside of pear (pear should be completely covered). Stick grape halves all over pear.