A weather-related shortage could push strawberry prices up. File photo / Steven McNicoll
By Anna Sargent of RNZ
Like most treats on the dinner table this Christmas, the iconic Kiwi dessert of pavlova, strawberries and cream could be more expensive than usual.
Strawberries are the problem, with growers saying a weather-related shortage could push prices up at the till.
Strawberry Growers New Zealand chairman Anthony Rakich said wet weather damaged strawberry plants and they produced less fruit.
The berries would not be as abundant as usual this season, he said.
“This year has been tough, we had a lot of rain and that affected production.
“I think we’re going to be in a similar boat to last year where we’re short at Christmas unless the weather does a big U-turn and we get some nice warm days now which is what we need to ripen the fruit.
“Hopefully there’ll be enough volume that people don’t miss out, but we’re in the lap of the gods as far as the weather’s concerned.”
Auckland grower and The Fresh Berry Company manager Simon Tallon said the wet spring had been tough for strawberry growers.
“Definitely if we’re a bit short on strawberries we’ll probably see slightly higher retail prices but still hopefully good quality berries for people to consume over Christmas,” he said.
Stats NZ said strawberries already cost 22 per cent more than they did at this time last year, and 51 per cent more than two years ago.
That posed the question of whether some people might use uncooked frozen berries in desserts instead.
An outbreak of Hepatitis A, which began in June, was linked to imported Pams frozen berries, and had left 32 people ill and 14 in hospital.
New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle said most people who contracted Hepatitis A were eating large amounts of frozen berries in smoothies each day.
“For frozen berries used on top of a pavlova or something as part of a Christmas dinner, the risk of those being a problem are much reduced because you’re using a small number,” he said.
For anyone tempted to decorate pavlovas with frozen berries, NZFS recommended microwaving or boiling them for one-to-two minutes first.
But perhaps 2022 is the year when it makes sense to go green and fall back in love with kiwifruit-topped pavlova.
- RNZ
Kelvin and Cathy Haigh's cheeses have won them many awards over the years.