Giant strawberries have rocked the UK this year after a warmer than expected spring saw crops balloon – and now there’s surplus stock to shift
Strawberries have expanded in size thanks to premature spring temperatures propelling crops and seeing supermarket shelves stacked with the juicy fruits.
In the UK, strawberry season starts from late May through July and Brits are well aware of this period as the average person consumes about 3kg of strawberries per year. As per Allmanhall, strawberry production in the country has increased over the past 25 years.
This year, thanks to warmer than usual temperatures, strawberries have ballooned and grown 20% larger than normal. Believe it or not, this is due to the longer hours of sunlight.
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To prevent strawberries from going bad, and to clear the surplus stock, Tesco decided to slash the prices of the fruits by half, causing chaos on the fruit aisle – and it’s a bargain.
In an announcement, Tesco said: “The heatwave brought on strawberry production by around two weeks and has left many UK growers with surplus units. But now Tesco has stepped in to help growers by taking extra stock and the good news for shippers is that the strawberries will go on sale for almost half price – with the price drop in time for the half-term holidays.”
Dave Slaughter, Mansfields’ commercial operational manager, said that he didn’t expect the strawberries to double up in size this season, as last year it was a much colder one. He explained: “The combination of far longer than usual sunshine together with the extra hours of sunlight in the last few weeks has resulted in a fine crop this year.”
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The extra hours of sunlight and the good weather overall are the main factors as to why strawberries have become much bigger. As per the reports, this has been seen in areas including Kent, East and West Sussex, Berkshire, Wales, Norfolk and Herefordshire, and Scotland.
The packs of 400g will go on sale at more than 750 Tesco stores, with a price of £1.50, instead of the usual £2.50. The offer will apply in participating stores, and while stock lasts. To avoid disappointment, it’s recommendable to phone ahead or to double check with your local store.
By doing this initiative, British growers will maximise their chances to waste their produce, by also giving an opportunity to shoppers to enjoy the juice and fresh fruits for a much affordable price.