Spinach, and a number of leafy green vegetables, are in short supply due to the rain that has hit much of New Zealand in recent weeks. Ajay Jina, owner of Jina’s World of Fresh Produce, said it had been too wet for crops such as spinach, lettuce, mesclun and other salad leaves to be grown in recent times.
He said the supply would come right, but it needed some consistent weather in the growing areas. Jina said silverbeet could be a good alternative for anyone wanting to buy spinach. “It’s a bit more robust and can handle more inclement weather. Spinach is very delicate and affected a lot more easily.”
A Countdown spokesperson said the effect of heavy rain a few weeks ago was still being seen in the supply of leafy greens to shop shelves: “The good news is that we’re expecting supply to bounce back within the next couple of weeks and, provided we don’t have any major weather events, customers should be able to find plenty of their leafy green favourites on the shelf then.”
Stats NZ data last week showed that fruit and vegetable prices lifted 10% year-on-year in July, led by tomatoes, lettuce and broccoli.
Source: stuff.co.nz