Britain is enjoying its most bountiful cherry harvest in at least three years, thanks to recent warm weather, prompting a major supermarket to introduce larger packs of the fruit.
Place UK, a key supplier to Tesco based in Tunstead, Norfolk, described the conditions as having produced a “wonderful crop”.
In response, Tesco has rolled out new 600g and 1kg cherry packs, priced at £4.50 and £6 respectively.
The supermarket said the move aims to provide shoppers with enhanced value compared to earlier season prices, while also bolstering support for growers.
“It’s been a really good season for us so far with the warmest spring on record helping to produce a wonderful crop of cherries – easily the best we’ve seen for at least three years,” Dan Yordanov, head of fresh at Place UK, said.
“This has resulted in an abundance of great-tasting, perfect British cherries being picked at peak ripeness.
“With this above normal crop we are thankful for Tesco’s action, which allows us to avoid waste, and to provide more home-grown, highest quality, nutritious British cherries to be enjoyed by the nation’s consumers.”
Tesco cherry buyer Olivia Amey said the recent heatwaves had created “the biggest UK cherry yield for at least three years”.
Many growers around the country had seen unexpected extra production – about 10 to 15 per cent higher than normal for July, she said.
“The quality of the fruit this year is first class with plump flesh, a firm texture that is juicy and a sweet taste with a slight tartness that perfectly balances the flavour.
“We’re very happy to help out our British growers and customers at the same time.”
Place UK is one of eight cherry growers across the UK which work with Tesco supplier Driscoll’s, with the others based in Herefordshire, Staffordshire, Kent, Fife, Perth and Kinross, and the Scottish Borders.
Tesco said this regional diversity supports a longer season and ensures consistent quality by taking advantage of different microclimates across the UK.
The UK cherry industry has changed over the past 20 years, with more and more British growers seeing better yields by using dwarf root stock, grafted onto new tree varieties.
These produce smaller trees which can be grown in plastic tunnels, creating a micro climate with temperatures similar to the Mediterranean and protecting the fruit from any inclement British weather.
These new smaller cherry trees can now be picked by workers on foot rather than ladders, enabling British cherries to remain competitively priced.
British growers are this year set to produce an estimated 8,000 tonnes of cherries – around four times the harvest in 2018, according to Tesco.
In 2015, just 559 tonnes were picked in the UK, it added.
