AU: Quality over quantity at the Sydney Markets

Sydney Markets have reported an overall improvement in produce quality this week across its wholesalers, despite slightly less supply.

Retail Support Manager Sue Dodd says the trend of a late start for most produce has continued, with most varieties running two weeks behind schedule.

In terms of avocados, Shepards are starting to be replaced by Hass, creating a slight but temporary dip in supply.

Capsicums have seen a drop in price over the past seven days, while the cooler seasonal effects have pushed berry prices up slightly.

Citrus growers are at the start of harvest seasons, with a crossover experienced between Valencia and Navels. Ms Dodd says mandarins and limes have been popular at this time of year and are "well priced" from a consumers perspective.

Ms Dodd says the current tomato shortage and the subsequent rise in prices are not a direct effect of Tropical Cyclone Debbie.

The cyclone hit crops in Bowen, on the Central Queensland coast, last month which is Australia's winter food bowl and a major source of vegetables, but according to Sydney Markets, it's been a difficult season in general for tomatoes.

"I think the general consumer is starting to think about the cyclone and asking questions why, as it happened so quickly," Ms Dodd said. "But it's a cyclical thing, and most of the local growers have slowed down as well. It's all relative because tomato prices were up before the cyclone hit"

She says the flow on from the cyclone has not had time to reach markets.

"Only some growers were affected, in the sense that they planted and they lost what they had planted," Ms Dodd said. "But also with the cyclone the preparations for planting had been interrupted. So we are not going to see the full impact of that for 4-6 weeks."