Top strawberry crop predicted

This year’s strawberry crop is predicted to be bigger and more flavoursome than any in the past.

The cold start to the year, mixed with the recent warm days and cooler nights, has resulted in slower strawberry ripening and according to British Summer Fruits means this year’s British strawberries will be better than ever.

Over the past year, more than 137,000 tonnes of strawberries were sold in the UK, with shoppers spending more than £1.3 million on the British berry. Consumption of fresh berries, which includes strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, has grown by 132% since 2007, outstripping the 49% increase of fruit consumption as a whole.

Berries now make up 22% of all fruit sold in the UK, and this has pushed the value of the berry industry over £1.2 billion.