As February unfolds across Australia, the seasonal shift brings a vibrant array of affordable and delicious fruit and vegetables to markets and supermarkets. Expert buyers highlight the standout produce this month, offering savvy shoppers opportunities to enjoy fresh, budget-friendly ingredients.
Tomatoes and Watermelon Lead the Charge
Graham Gee, senior buyer at Melbourne's Happy Apple, notes that tomatoes are particularly plentiful, with saucing varieties like roma tomatoes ripe and ready for making passata. Cooking tomatoes are available for around $2 per kilogram at independent stores, while Australian field tomatoes in supermarkets cost about $5 per kilogram.
Michael Hsu, operational manager at Sydney's Panetta Mercato, reports that watermelon is "very cheap," selling for $1 to $2 per kilogram. This makes it an ideal time to incorporate watermelon into refreshing dishes such as Rukmini Iyer's watermelon and tomato gazpacho or spiced salad.
Stone Fruits and Plums in Focus
Stone fruits remain good value, with peaches and nectarines priced at $2 to $3 per kilogram, or $6 per kilogram for larger varieties. However, Hsu expresses excitement for queen garnet plums, grown in Victoria, which are rich in antioxidants and have a sweet, purple-black juice. These plums cost $8 to $10 per kilogram, or about 70 cents each in supermarkets, but their season is short, so prompt purchase is advised. More commonly available red-skinned plums are cheaper at around $6 per kilogram.
Vegetable Highlights and Price Drops
Red capsicum prices have "dropped dramatically," according to Hsu, now below $10 per kilogram after reaching $14 per kilogram around Christmas. Queensland-grown capsicums are particularly affordable at $3 to $4 per kilogram. Cucumbers are also excellent value, with Lebanese cucumbers at $2 to $3 per kilogram and continental cucumbers around $2 each.
Other notable vegetables include Dutch carrots at about $5 per bunch, eggplants at $2 to $3 each, zucchini at $1 to $2 each, and caulilini (fioretto) at around $5 per kilogram. Reed avocados are entering the market, though hass avocados remain at $2 each in supermarkets.
Farewell to Summer Favourites
Mango season is winding down, with late-season varieties like keitt, palmer, and honey gold still available for $2.90 to $3.50 each. Apricots and cherries are also nearing the end of their season, making them pricier or harder to find.
Soft leaf vegetables have been affected by summer's extreme weather, with English spinach and coriander either wiped out or very expensive. Herbs like parsley and basil may face similar issues, and strawberries are currently taking a knock, though this is expected to change soon. Passionfruit remains on the more expensive side due to reduced croppings.
Buying Guide for February
Best Buys: Avocado, caulilini (fioretto), cucumbers, Dutch carrots, eggplant, grapes, green beans, nectarines, peaches, plums, red capsicum, rockmelon, tomatoes, watermelon.
Watch For: Apricots, asparagus, cherries, mangoes, strawberries.
Avoid: Coriander, English spinach, passionfruit.
