The first of the South Australian-grown stone fruit season arrived at the SA Produce Market in the last week of October. The first of the season to arrive were the yellow Nectarines.
"We have yellow peaches, yellow nectarines, apricots, and cherries," said Penny Reidy, Marketing, BD & Communications Manager at South Australian Produce Market.
Most South Australian growers have started approximately 14 days later this season than the previous year.
© SA Produce Market
"Crops are always weather dependent, and this season is no different. We have had a cool Spring, and growers are really needing more sunshine to ripen the fruit for harvest. Having said that, the quality of the fruit making it to market has been exceptional – sweet and juicy.
"We are still in spring, and it has been cool and wet – many growers are hoping for some warmer days to really kick off the summer fruits. Retailers absolutely rely on warmer weather to sell summer fruits. The warmer the weather, the more likely consumers are to purchase, as they will be out and about and entertaining.
"Whilst I have not seen any consumer-facing promotions for stone fruits as yet, Hort Innovation has invested in a Summerfruit retailer training for the independent sector, which focuses on care and handling, storage, ripeness, and display. It is great to see investment into training our independent retailers to ensure stone fruits are presented to consumers in the best possible way as we continue to encourage South Australians to consume in-season locally grown produce."
For more information:
Penny Reidy
South Australian Produce Market Limited
Tel: +61 8 8349 4493
[email protected]
www.saproducemarket.com.au
