Fruit, vegetable supplies booming as regular weather patterns return

Melons are still on the shelves, apples are plentiful and mandarins are just around the corner as Queensland experiences a boom of fresh fruit and vegetables. Anthony Joseph with abundant fruit and veg

The end-of-summer melons are still available, apples are plentiful and the mandarin season is just around the corner as the bounty of Queensland of fresh fruit and vegetables continue to flood into the Brisbane markets.

The return of traditional weather patterns has been behind an extraordinary rise in high quality products which will continue into the winter.

Queensland fruit and veg veteran Anthony Joseph, whose family have been in the industry for generations, says he is stunned at the volume and quality following on from a return to regular rainfall patterns across much of the state.

It’s a welcome turnaround from the floods and the Covid years with their logistics problems and spiralling prices, during which the cost of a lettuce hit $10.

Alfred E. Chave Pty Ltd managing director Anthony Joseph. Picture: Tara Croser.

”I would say many of the problems are behind us,’ Mr Joseph says.

Mr Joseph says the public is increasingly aware of the health benefits of fresh food, including the cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage and cauliflower which are widely recognised for their health properties.

“And when you look at the rising cost of living, which is rising in so many sectors, suddenly fruit and vegetables are the most economic option,’’ Mr Joseph says.

“When you know how to choose good seasonal food, and prepare dishes properly, you quickly find that these healthy options are not only good for your family’s health, but go a long way in dollar terms.’’

The last of the summer melons are still on offer while cabbage and green beans are plentiful and, perhaps most importantly, the Queensland mandarin season is on the horizon.

The mandarin is the quintessential Queenslander, with the majority of the nation’s supply grown here, and by next month they are expected to be overflowing on grocery shelves.

The popularity of mandarins has increased dramatically in recent years with growing opportunities identified in central Queensland by the Rookwood Weir Community Report, recently released by Advance Rockhampton.

The Murcott mandarin in particular is in the sights of central Queensland producers who have seen its market share increase dramatically.

Mango and macadamia are also further possibilities in the region as progress on the $370 million Rookwood Weir, which will capture water in the lower Fitzroy River near Rockhampton, continues.