The English apple season is officially the earliest on record, according to a report in the Fresh Produce Journal.
Commercial volumes of Discovery apples are hitting stores across the UK this week, a fortnight earlier than normal after favourable conditions last winter combined with the earliest April on record to create a strong crop.
It is the earliest recorded in industry body English Apples & Pears' (EAP) 35-year history.
Good pollination and fruit-set have meant that – despite frosts in some areas – this year’s English crop is looking strong and is likely to run through until next May on some varieties.
Some 2,000 tonnes of Discovery are expected to be harvested with 1,500 tonnes of early Windsor and 2,000 tonnes of Worcester among the early varieties.
For the major varieties, meanwhile, the season is likely to kick off in the first or second week of September.
EAP chief executive Adrian Barlow told the Fresh Produce Journal that the English offer was likely to hit a clean market.
'There is very little Southern Hemisphere overhang and there's very little fruit left from last season's European crop, so prices are likely to be strong.'
The New Zealand situation, whereby NZ imports to the UK have become very expensive due to unfavourable exchange rates, highlighted how important it was that growers received a good return to re-invest and grow the UK apple share,' he added.
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