Chilly spell hits summer fruit

The cost of topping a Christmas pavlova with juicy strawberries has nearly doubled in some stores after the weekend's wild weather.

Like many popular summer fruits, the strawberry did not fare well during the hail, lightning and thunderstorms that lashed many parts of the country.

Foodtown St Lukes produce spokesman Jimmy Magan said strawberries were a highly perishable item so the price was strongly affected by the weather.

Yesterday, as reports of damage emerged from growers around the North Island, Mr Magan said the cost of a 400g punnet rose from $2.50 to $4.49.

In Pak'N Save it increased from $2.99 to $3.99.

But it is not just strawberries that have suffered from the bad weather which is predicted to continue until Christmas Eve.

The slow start to spring combined with a noticeable lack of sunshine during the past few months has meant summer fruits are taking longer to ripen.

That, combined with the recent storm damage, means Christmas fruit is slightly harder to come by and more expensive this year.

Auckland Pipfruit Growers Association secretary Monte Neal said he had heard of growers experiencing minor damage after the storm.

In Kumeu, plums and apples were superficially damaged by the heavy hail, while strawberries were hit in the Coatesville area.

Mr Neal said most of the damage should grow out by the time the apples and plums were harvested.

Most fruit was running about two weeks behind schedule because of the slow spring.

"The biggest effect on the prices is the cold weather - the fruit just isn't ripening up. People are probably going into the shops now and thinking there's not much choice or the fruit's a little bit immature but it's just the fact we are a little bit late."

While that is bad news for people wanting fresh fruit salads for Christmas, there is good news on the way.

"The prices are probably high at the moment because there is not the product on the floor," Mr Neal said. "But what will happen is when the fruit ripens up in the next two weeks there will probably be a lot of product around and not a lot of people to buy it."

Forecast for festivities

Tomorrow: Showers in most districts with isolated heavy falls and thunderstorms.

Thursday: Showers continuing in most places, but dry in the east and south of the North Island.

Christmas Eve: Showers and southwesterlies for much of the country. Fine in Gisborne.

Christmas Day: Mostly fine but possible showers in the Waitakeres and east.

New Year's Eve: MetService predictions due later this week but long-range forecasters expect rain.