Sunshine and strawberries

SWIFTLY following the long-awaited arrival of some sunshine, today marks the official beginning of the British strawberry season.

Customers will now see real quantities of delectable British strawberries available to buy in shops across the country – and this year growers are predicting a six per cent increase in production.

The cool, dry winter, coupled with recent warm weather – temperatures of 79F (26C) in some parts of the UK – has created the perfect growing conditions for this year’s crop.

There is an increasing consumer demand for one of the UK’S favourite fruits. Over the past year, more than 126,000 tons of strawberries were sold in the UK, at a cost of more than £580million. Fresh berry consumption has grown by 132 per cent since 2007, making them now the most popular fruit item in shoppers’ baskets. Samantha Herbert