British Cherry Season Set To Spark Global Demand

“I think the UK will see a big demand later in the month from overseas buyers” – that’s the upbeat prediction from Jon Clark, Managing Director at Fruit World International.

The British cherry season has kicked off beautifully—Herefordshire's been harvesting for two weeks, and Norfolk isn’t far behind. Kent and Suffolk are next in line.

“The crop is looking good, just as it should be,” says Clark. “It will not be a heavy crop, but there has been little fruit drop, and the quality is good. Growers are really on top of the picking, and the sugars and taste are very good, sizes are also looking good, around 1‑2 mm larger than last year, which is quite a bit on a cherry.”

Though an early season was expected in late May, planting didn’t quite follow suit—until 1 June, when things truly began. This four-month-long cherry fiesta is now in full swing, set to carry on until September’s end or early October.

“At the moment, we are just selling on the domestic market; later in June, we will have the stronger varieties which can be exported. We have already had a lot of interest from overseas customers, this is due to the frosts in Turkey, Greece, and other cherry-growing countries. Spain was late starting, but is moving quickly through their fruit, as people who would normally source from Turkey and Greece are looking to Spain for cherries. I think the UK will see a big demand later in the month from overseas buyers,” continued Clark

Fruit World International's premium cherry brands, Blossom and Bonanza, are now in their second year. These delights are sold domestically through wholesalers, independent retailers, boutique shops, and farm shops—and internationally to a mix of wholesale and retail customers. The company also markets non-premium fruit under a generic label.

“By the third week of June, we will be exporting cherries to Europe, the Middle and Far East, and are hopeful protocols will open to other countries and allow exports there so they can taste the delights of the British cherries,” added Clark.

Source: Fresh Plaza