Huge Volumes of British Cherries to Hit UK Supermarkets

 
Over the coming weeks, huge volumes of British cherries are expected to hit UK supermarket shelves after the recent hot weather led to a bumper crop. A BBC report says a cold and rainy spring had threatened this year’s output, but growers are now celebrating a massive yield.

 

UK’s largest cherry grower, Lee Turner, from Kent-based FGA Farming, said the UK was now looking at an “abundance of super sweet cherries”.

While supermarket chain Tesco said it had taken on an extra 115 metric tons (MT) of the fruit to avoid them going to waste, the bulk of the sudden rush of supply has come from Kent, the UK’s main cherry-growing area.

Turner said the hot spell in July had helped the cherry trees develop, producing super-sweet fruit. “For the next two to three weeks the UK will be getting an abundance of super-sweet, classic British cherries”, he was quoted as saying.

Unseasonal weather in April and May had meant a far colder start to the cherry growing season than usual, he explained. But that meant trees were dormant for longer, allowing them to build up the energy needed to produce the high-quality fruit coming through now.

This year’s British cherry harvest is expected to be double that of 2018, at just over 6000MT.

The significant rise in the global demand for fresh cherries has resulted in rising sales of imported cherries that are sweeter in taste and larger in size, according to Transparency Market Research.

The global fresh cherry market is however expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 8.5 percent during the forecast period of 2019 to 2029. The market is predicted to reach a value of $107.2 billion by 2029.

Businesses are now moving into high-demand countries of Asia Pacific, such as China and Europe and the Middle East & Africa.

Just as firms involved in fresh cherry cultivation are promoting a variety of techniques to increase profit margins, consumers are increasingly adopting healthy lifestyles, opening up growth prospects for the fresh cherry market.

Cherry growers are benefiting from the rising interest in black cherries that are firmer and sweeter. Additionally, the global fresh cherries market is likely to benefit from the increased demand for frozen fruits in general.

Looking at growth drivers, fresh cherries are frequently utilized as a component in cosmetic and skincare items.

Cherry producers also invest in antimicrobial films that prolong the shelf life of fresh cherries substantially.

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