While produce shelves are still groaning under the weight of summer fruit, a visit to some of Kent’s orchards last week was a reminder that the first shades of autumn are just around the corner.

Opal plums are suffering from a wide range in colour and are already being marked down at half price. Victoria and Jubileum plums are not far off harvesting, and I even had a taste of the first Discovery apples.

In the meantime, the southern hemisphere still holds court in the apple market, with Marks & Spencer sourcing another of its “latest discoveries” under the Limited Edition range. New Zealand, which has always had a reputation for leading the way with new tastes, has come up with a variety called Envy at £1.99 for four.

On the tropical fruit side, Sainsbury’s is stocking papaya from Jamaica at £1.49, borrowing the term more associated with English Cox and describing the fruit as “tree ripened”.

I seem to remember being told that fresh pineapple suffers from about 50 per cent waste or more, which is one good reason why it is sold as fresh-cut chunks, fingers and wedges. Another variation I found in the same store was a cored pack at £2, although it still needs slicing.

It was labelled “tropically sweet”, another one of those descriptions that is somewhat vague and open to interpretation.

Melons also fell into this category, all priced at £1.99. Galia is defined as “sweet”, Cantaloupe as “aromatic” and Honeydew as “subtle”. I can’t wait to see if Piel de Sapo and Charentais make the same league.

I can claim to have some practical experience about the date business, having briefly worked in the City in the 1950s, selling a top brand of Tunisian glove boxes packed in Marseilles. At that time, the market centred on the three months around Christmas, but today the fruit is available year round. The traditional pack is still around, but Asda is obviously catering for customers with a bigger appetite, with a massive 1kg pack on offer at £2.50.

Finding something different or more convenient is part of the marketing game, and while Jersey Royals need no introduction, Tesco has widened the margins with an “easy steam” pack at £1.

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