Britain's sunny spring brings a bumper strawberry crop
The favourable conditions have meant sweeter, larger and more shapely strawberries arriving earlier on supermarket shelves this year and lower prices for shoppers.
James Miller, the commercial director of Maidstone, southeast England-based WB Chambers Farms, said regular daytime temperatures in May of 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit), dropping to 9 C overnight, along with high light levels were the key to the exceptional early season crop.
"(That's) really helped the plants to develop and to produce the sweet and large berries that we've got at the moment," he told Reuters.
"The warm and sunny weather has been welcome for strawberry growing this year."
Late last month, Tesco, Britain's biggest supermarket group, said it had taken on extra stock from UK strawberry growers and had cut the price shoppers pay for 400g punnets from 2.50 pounds ($3.38) to 1.50 pounds.
It expects to sell about 25% more strawberries this year than last.
Miller said growing conditions this spring were very different to last year when Britain experienced a much colder and wetter start to the fruit growing season.
He said all farmers understood that they have to adapt to climate change, and be prepared for changing circumstances.
"We have to invest in the technology. That means that we understand the weather impact on the crops and how we change our irrigation or feeding routines for the future," he said.
Miller also welcomed the news that the government is in the process of resetting trade ties with the European Union, which should make it easier to export. The sooner a deal comes the better.
"If it was this summer, then this season, that would be fantastic," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Zawya
8 hours ago
- Zawya
Chicago soybeans set for weekly loss on ample supply, weak China demand
BEIJING - Chicago soybean futures edged higher on Friday, but remained on track for a second consecutive weekly decline as ample global supplies, favourable U.S. weather and weak Chinese demand pressured prices. The most-active soybean contract on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) was up 0.08% at $9.9 per bushel, as of 0301 GMT, still hovering near a four-month low. "Expectations of a robust U.S. harvest, alongside a second-consecutive record Brazilian crop, are expected to weigh on prices for the remainder of the year," analysts at BMI, a unit of Fitch Solutions, said in a note. China, the world's biggest soy buyer, faces an August 12 deadline to reach a durable tariff agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. The United States believes it has the makings of a trade deal, but it is "not 100% done," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday. China's soymeal inventories have built up in recent weeks, potentially curbing soybean imports during the peak U.S. marketing season later this year - a bearish signal for American growers. Corn inched up 0.06% to $4.14 a bushel, but was poised to end the week lower amid expectations of a large harvest. Cooler temperatures and periodic rainfall across the U.S. Midwest are expected to support crop development into early August, according to Commodity Weather Group. Still, low prices have helped attract some buying interest. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirmed private sales of 100,000 metric tons of U.S. corn to Colombia, 140,000 tons to South Korea, and 136,000 tons to undisclosed destinations. Wheat rose 0.1% to $5.23-6/8 a bushel but was on course for a second weekly decline, pressured by ongoing winter harvests in the United States and across the globe. "Additional downward pressure is likely in the coming months as the U.S. spring wheat harvest begins, further increasing global supply and alleviating market tightness," BMI said. Separately, the USDA reported 100,000 tons of U.S. hard red winter wheat sale to Nigeria for shipment in the 2025/26 marketing year. Commodity funds were net sellers of CBOT soybean, wheat, and soyoil futures contracts on Thursday, traders said. Funds were net buyers of corn and soymeal futures, they said.
Zawya
11 hours ago
- Zawya
UK factories edge closer to end of downturn, PMI suggests
LONDON - Britain's manufacturers - hit in recent months by trade wars and higher taxes - moved closer to a return to growth in July and executives were their most optimistic in five months, according to a survey published on Friday. The S&P Global/CIPS manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index improved for a fourth month in a row to 48.0 from 47.7 in June, the weakest rate of contraction since January. July's final reading was slightly weaker than a preliminary estimate of 48.2 and remained below the 50.0 level that represents the threshold for growth for a 10th straight month. Britain's factories have been hit by fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariff increases, finance minister Rachel Reeves' hike in social security contributions for employers and a big increase in the minimum wage. Friday's survey pointed to an improvement with output of consumer and intermediate goods growing after several months of contraction and a measure of expectations for future output rising to its highest since February. "The UK manufacturing sector is starting to send some tentatively encouraging signals," Rob Dobson, director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said. However, a gauge of employment in the sector fell again as companies grappled with their higher labour costs and there were signs that jobs could take a further hit in the coming months, S&P Global said. Dobson said manufacturers were likely to remain cautious before Reeves' next annual tax and spending plan in the autumn. Prices paid and charged by factories increased at roughly the same pace as in June, the PMI showed. The Bank of England, which is expected to cut interest rates next week, is assessing the persistence of inflation pressures and the extent of a downturn in the jobs market. The manufacturing sector accounts for around 10% of Britain's economic output. The dominant services sector weakened in July, according to the preliminary PMI. A final PMI for services is due to be published on Tuesday. (Writing by William Schomberg; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Arabian Business
14 hours ago
- Arabian Business
London Heathrow submits $65bn proposal to UK government for a third runway
London Heathrow Airport will be able to add 276,000 flights a year and increase the number of passengers from 84 million to 150 million annually after submitting a £49 billion ($65 billion) expansion proposal to the UK government. The plan includes the construction of the controversial third runway at a cost of £21 billion, a new terminal and re-routing the M25, the major highway that circles London. Heathrow expansion The proposal includes £12 billion to fund a new terminal and £15 billion for modernisation. The airport said the expansion would provide at least 30 new daily routes, more domestic connections and improved flight times. The runway would be privately funded. Terminal 2 would be extended as per the plan, while Terminal 3 – where Emirates flights operate from – and the old Terminal 1 would be demolished. Thomas Woldbye, chief executive, said: 'It has never been more important or urgent to expand Heathrow. We are effectively operating at capacity to the detriment of trade and connectivity.' The expansion would require demolishing 752 homes in the surrounding area to make room for the third runway, as well as realigning and widening the M25 between the junctions at the airport. The project would also improve public transport links to the hub by expanding bus and rail capacity. In a statement, Heathrow said: 'A third runway and supporting infrastructure can be ready within a decade, and the full investment across all terminals would take place over the coming decades.' The Labour government backed the new runway in January in a bid to boost UK economic growth. The project has faced opposition from environmentalists and local residents over the years, as well as the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and some of Labour's own MPs. Britain's Supreme Court ruled at the end of 2020 that Heathrow could build the third runway, overturning a legal decision to block construction on environmental grounds. Meanwhile, hotelier Surinder Arora's Arora Group, one of Heathrow's largest landowners, said it will submit a rival bid to build a shorter third runway of 2,800 meters, that would be constructed at lower costs and with less disruption to local residents and the environment.
