Tesco, Sainsbury's and M&S shoppers issued fruit update
By the end of August, it is anticipated that about 5,133 tonnes will be harvested, up from almost 4,187 tonnes at the same time last year.
Spent almost £5 on the 'posh' strawberries and raspberries from @sainsburys only to find half of them are mush when we have gone to eat them. What a waste of money for what is meant to be their leading branded products. pic.twitter.com/O6boSOYFPi
According to fruit experts and grocery analysts across the country, sales of the round fruit have also risen by nine per cent year-on-year.
Daniel Martin, Group Commercial Director at SandA Produce, commented: "This blueberry season has seen a really positive early start, about two weeks ahead of schedule, thanks to strong light levels and an absence of rain.
"As a result, we're seeing excellent fruit size and nice, even ripening across the crop. In summary, we are optimistic about the season and expect to see excellent flavour and shelf life from this year's crop."
Jim Floor, Managing Director of Hall Hunter, one of the UK's leading blueberry growers, stated: "When it comes to robotic fruit picking, we're seeing steady and encouraging progress from robotics and automation companies. However, the technology isn't quite ready for widespread commercial adoption just yet."
Nick Marston, Chair of the industry body British Berry Growers, revealed that all UK berry crops, including strawberries, raspberries and blackberries, were up by about 25 per cent.
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"The weather has been very beneficial for all berry crops," he said.
Bartosz Pinkosz from the Summer Berry Company, which provides fruit to major supermarkets, revealed during the earlier warning to British families that his West Sussex farm was growing berries so large they "cannot fit in your mouth".
Mr Pinkosz informed The Guardian newspaper two months previously: "I have genuinely never seen a harvest produce such large berries consistently. Some are supersized – growing to the size of plums or even kiwi fruits."
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