Homegrown strawberries are expected to be larger and sweeter this year because of the cool weather.
Experts claim the colder conditions caused a delay to the start of the growing season and resulted in stronger plants.
Farmers say this will help boost the size of the fruit and its sugar levels, making British strawberries sweeter and juicier than normal.
Homegrown strawberries are expected to be larger and sweeter this year because of the cool weatherThe sweetness of strawberries is measured in degrees Brix (Bx), which represents the density or concentration of sugar in a solution.
In the first week of the season, strawberries need to achieve a minimum of seven degrees Bx.
British Summer Fruits, which represents 85 per cent of growers supplying berries to UK supermarkets, said strawberry growers were already reporting higher Brix levels, with some samples above 10 degrees Bx.
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Growers have also recorded an increase in the size of strawberries, with fruit up to 15 per cent bigger, while deeper punnets have been required to protect the ripe, plump strawberries.
Laurence Olins, chairman of British Summer Fruits, said: ‘Strawberries are a British staple of the early summer season.
‘It may have been a later start to the British strawberry season but there will be a good supply of British strawberries for everyone to enjoy.’
Experts claim the colder conditions which included snow in March caused a delay to the start of the growing seasonTwenty years ago, poor weather conditions could have spelt disaster for commercial strawberry growers, but following decades of investment in protective covers and new varieties, this summer’s strawberry crop is thriving, British Summer Fruits said.
Production is expected to exceed last year’s 51,626 tonnes of strawberries supplied to UK supermarkets by members of British Summer Fruits.