Can you believe the first month of 2026 has already passed us by?
- January is an odd sort of period in the fresh produce industry. It’s a sort of a no-man’s land between the craziness of Christmas and the start of “when things get back to normal”. Every year those few hot days make growing and managing fresh produce a challenge. The hot days towards the end of January have taken a toll on raspberries and strawberries with limited numbers seeing a slight rise in price.
- Apple prices have also seen prices jump significantly, mainly due to the stock losses in the Harcourt fires. With some orchards also damaged this event will likely put pressure on prices for the whole season. We have started our first lot of new season apples with Ginger Gold, (a delicious crunchy, slightly tart form of Golden Del) perfect for our Apple Frangipane Tart recipe -( Click here for the recipe) and from just up the road out of Shepparton. New season Royal Gala have also started.
- In this industry I am acutely aware of the passing years as each season ticks by. New season pears remind me that autumn is really not that far away. Right now, we have Williams, Crystal, Paradise and Rosata, all available now. Williams look like a Packham pear but they have very different characteristics and they can go from firm green to ripe within a couple of days so keep an eye on them in the fruit bowl. Try adding a Williams pear, a handful of walnuts, blue cheese and some rocket to make a fresh tasty salad, click here to find a recipe on our website.
- Supply of most vegetable lines has been pretty consistent with no real supply issues at the moment. Zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant and capsicums are all great value with prices coming back from the Christmas peak.
- If you are keen to make some apricot jam you need to make haste as the season is just about over. We have good quality, firm Rival Apricots available by the box. Their strong colour and flavour make for a terrific pot of jam but these will likely finish up over the next week to a fortnight. Click here for a recipe for Apricot Jam.
- Plums, peaches, and nectarines are available in good numbers and represent great value. Make the most of them before they are past their best. Grapes have also increased in supply and we currently have Crimson Seedless, Menindee Seedless, Natural Sultana, Black Currants and Black Muscats available. A few more obscure varieties will come in throughout February.
So make the most of the summer fruit because soon enough the days will close in and the flavours of summer will be left behind for another year.
Stay tuned for more updates to see Watts Fresh!
Cheers, Dean.
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