First commercial batch of strawberries to go on sale after 'enough sunshine'

A freshly picked tray of UK grown strawberries which will hit supermarket shelves this week

The first commercial batch of strawberries has hit the supermarket shelves in Sussex, thanks to higher temperatures and “enough sunshine” last week.

After months of rain, the warm weather helped grow more than 150 tonnes of fruit, which equates to roughly 375,000 boxes of berries. The strawberries, of the Malling Centenary variety, are grown by the Summer Berry Company near Chichester in West Sussex.

Jack Darnes, the company’s commercial director, said: “This year so far is a good example temperatures are higher on average than in the last five years, but light levels are lower than last five-year average.” He added that some crops have come earlier due to mild winter and spring weather, but sugar levels have been slightly lower because of low light levels.

Tesco strawberry buyer Callum Baker said: “If the weather stays relatively good from now then we’ll seen UK-wide availability of British-grown strawberries by mid-May but obviously if temperatures rise a bit and we get more sunshine then that could come sooner.” He added that the start of the British strawberry season puts a “smile on people’s faces” especially after the rainy months.

“There is always a lot of excitement about the first British strawberries being picked because their arrival means that summer is not too far away,” he said. “And of course there is plenty to look forward to with such a summer of sport ahead, including Wimbledon, the event most associated with strawberries.”