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Michael Mc Donald   

 


Market Report 13th March 2020

Good News

The best value vegetables remain locally grown winter vegetables, Carrots, Parsnips, Swedes and Leeks are recommended. Spanish Courgettes are also good value and excellent quality. English Purple Sprouting Broccoli is excellent this week, the colour is very bold and with Broccoli expensive the price difference is less marked than usual.

New season Dutch Salad is now arriving on the market, which is a relief with the Spanish winter season coming to a close. The Cucumbers are still too pale and the Tomatoes too expensive but their arrival bodes well for the coming weeks as prices drop and quality improves. The salad recommendations for this week are Cherry Tomatoes, Iceberg Lettuce, Celery and Spring Onions.

Strawberries and Raspberries remain excellent value this week, supplies from Spain are plentiful and the quality surprisingly high considering the time of year. Spanish easy peelers are also recommended this week, especially as the winter season is finishing and prices will start to rise shortly. Black Grapes are very good value, the appearance and eating quality is far superior to the green at present. Local Rhubarb is now available and is recommended for those seasonal specials.


Bad News

Broccoli and Cauliflowers are both relatively expensive this weekend. Broccoli is marginally better value and neither are extortionate. Potato prices continue to rise particularly chipping Potatoes. This could become quite a serious shortage as the year progresses because the continued wet weather has prevented the planting of the majority of this year’s early crop, so there could be severe shortages in Spring. The same scenario also applies to Carrots which will start to rise in price shortly as stores dwindle.

Pepper prices remain expensive, Dutch new season are only just becoming available in small quantities and unfortunately there are very low volumes available from Spain. Beef Tomatoes are very expensive this weekend and are best avoided in the short term.

Green Grapes are best avoided this weekend, the South African has finished and although early season Indian Grapes are available, they are not yet very sweet.

 

Products to buy with care

Beef Tomatoes

Red Peppers

Yellow Peppers

Cauliflowers

Pineapples

Water Melons


Product Best Buys

Leeks

Tundra Cabbage

 Iceberg Lettuce

Cherry Tomatoes

Cheshire Rhubarb

Asparagus

 

Please call and check prices on the above.

 

Please be aware it is always good practice to thoroughly wash all fruit, vegetables and salad produce even if it is pre washed.