Early summer has arrived at Melbourne Market with Victorian leafy greens, new-season cherries, and the first flush of local stonefruit leading the way into the festive period.

Traders at Victoria’s wholesale fruit, vegetable and cut flower trading centre are reporting excellent quality across summer favourites, with strong volumes of lettuce, celery, carrots and the first Victorian zucchini all signalling the start of the warm-weather season.

Victorian leafy greens are particularly plentiful, according to Elliot Cucinotta from HC Produce. “Leafy greens are in abundance, especially iceberg lettuce from Werribee. Local zucchinis from Victoria are set to come into the Market very soon, and Victorian green beans are coming into the Market as well,” he says.

Cucinotta notes that a couple of late-spring lines have now wrapped up, with artichokes and broad beans finishing for the year. “Artichoke season is over… broad beans are also finished for us,” he says.

Citrus is also having a strong run into Christmas, with lemons from the Yarra Valley moving into peak season. Roy Thierry from Geelong Citrus Packers says demand is climbing fast. “We’re now coming into peak lemon season. Lemons are going pretty crazy right now as we approach Christmas,” he says. “They’re great at the moment for seasoning your chicken or fish dishes over the holiday period.”

Thierry adds that Valencia oranges will start appearing soon, while mandarins are finishing up. Limes remain in good supply, though navel oranges are now limited.

Summer stonefruit is also building momentum. Dominic Legudi from F. Legudi reports the Market has “just started nectarines and peaches from Swan Hill plus clingstone peaches from Shepparton”. 

He says the season will be in full swing throughout December and January, with strong flavour expected as temperatures rise. “We’ll also be getting cherries in December, right into the full swing of the cherry season. Cherries, stonefruit and grapes are plentiful this time of year and great for Christmas platters or entertaining,” he says.

Grapes from Robinvale are also beginning to appear and will continue to increase in volume over the coming weeks.

Brandon Motta from Market wholesalers Fresh Growers notes that Victorianasparagus is “pretty much coming to an end”, but says overall supply of staples is steady heading into summer. “Everything else is pretty steady such as lettuce, celery and carrots,” he says. These lines are expected to remain reliable right through the hottest months.

Sour plums (Janerik) are wrapping up in Victoria, with Michael from Super Fruit noting the shift in flavour as the season winds down. “Sour plums are coming to an end in Victoria. They start to turn yellow and become sweet and you can use them in jams,” he says.

With cherries, stonefruit and citrus all strong — and Victorian produce ramping up — December and early January are shaping up as one of the most abundant and colourful periods of the year at Melbourne Market.

SEASONAL SNAPSHOT

FIRST OF:  Victorian zucchini and green beans, nectarines (Swan Hill), peaches (Swan Hill), clingstone peaches (Shepparton),  grapes (Robinvale), Valencia oranges (soon), Yarra Valley lemons, summer lettuce supply

LAST OF: Victorian artichokes, broad beans, asparagus, mandarins, sour plums (VIC), Queensland chillies, eggplant and zucchini (as Victorian supply takes over)

LOTS OF: Leafy greens including iceberg (Werribee), celery, carrots, stonefruit, cherries, grapes, limes

EATING WELL:  Cherries, stonefruit, grapes

NOT MUCH OF: Navel oranges

To find a local greengrocer, visit abetterchoice.com.au