Cherry glut on the way - more British fruit in supermarkets

The UK's cherry harvest could hit record levels, for a second year in a row. The warmer winter and recent sunshine has created ideal conditions for cherry growers, who expect to produce 4,500 tonnes of the fruit this year. The abundance of fruit is likely to mean fewer cherries from overseas make it to the supermarket shelves

British Cherries, the industry association, said that this year's harvest is likely to be 500 tonnes more than last year - and up from just 400 tonnes in the year 2000. The weather has played a major role, as the mild winter meant that blossom appeared about a month earlier than in 2013, and temperatures around 25C are setting the blossom in ideal conditions.

Developments in the industry are playing their part too. Even in January, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs was predicting a glut. It revealed that the previous year had been a record-breaker - with double the yield of 2013, and worth around £20 million. At the time it said that innovations in the business - from poly tunnels to smaller and hardier trees - were also extending the season and increasing the potential harvest.
%VIRTUAL-ArticleSidebar-food-guide%
More British fruit

The hope is that the glut will mean more British cherries on supermarket shelves. Celebrity chef Natalie Coleman, winner of Masterchef 2013, is backing British cherries. She said: "British cherries are a versatile and sumptuous fruit that can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. I would encourage anyone buying cherries this year to buy British and support British growers. I'm certainly thrilled to be doing so."

The return of British produce to supermarket shelves is being hailed as a major success by campaigners. It follows on from the arrival of British watermelons in Tesco last year, and the longer season of British Strawberries, which saw the fruit arriving well into the autumn.

The National Farmers Union argues, however, that there is still much to be done, and that supermarkets should not lose sight of the importance of the farming industry to the UK when they are looking around the world for the cheapest possible way to source products.

Food and drink stories on AOL Money

Farm worker caught urinating on Tesco vegetable field

Odd order for pizza from woman having a bad day

Camilla's homemade honey - a snip at £20