A seasonal UK promotion for Spanish Picota cherries is due to begin this week, some 15 days later than in an average season, after the development of the crop was delayed by unexpectedly cold weather earlier this year.
The Spanish government-sponsored Foods from Spain campaign will be highlighting Picota cherries to British shoppers from mid-June and throughout July as part of its long-running campaign to support the fruit.
This will include a range of activities in supermarket stores, including tasting sessions, with information and recipes given away in addition to Picota cherries, on-pack competitions and offers, as well as advertising at the point-of-sale and on retailers’ websites.
However, the Cereza de Jerte Denomination of Origin Regulatory Council said that volumes were expected to be below pre-season forecasts, as a result of unseasonably cold weather during blossoming, which delayed development of the crop.
Harvest and packing was also hindered by wet weather last week in the Jerte Valley, in the the region of Extremadura, where the stalkless cherries are grown.
According to the regulatory council, approximately 4,500 tonnes of Picota cherries will be harvested in the Jerte Valley this season, of which more than 50 per cent will be exported.
Pilar Díaz Flores, technical director of the council, said: “The quality of Picota this year will be very good, with larger than average-sized fruit.
“This season, the weather conditions have generally been very favourable, although the intense cold weather during blossoming means we expect volumes to be lower than originally forecast.
“The cold this season delayed all Spanish cherries and Picota have come on stream around 15 days later than normal.”
Last year, Foods from Spain and retailers combined to drive a record season for Picota in the UK, with around 4m punnets of the fruit sold across all stores. One supermarket chain reported a 400 per cent year-on-year increases in volumes.
Ms Diaz added: “The 2009 campaign was very successful. We exported 40 per cent of our production of cherries, including Picota varieties. In the UK, we achieved exports of approximately 2,500 tonnes.”
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