The news that Waitrose is to commit to 100 per cent English cherries in season is likely to be the first in a series of similar pledges now that the sun is shining and home-grown fruit and vegetables are set to come into their own again.

The race for the first British asparagus has already been fought out, Jersey Royal potatoes are set to get a TV push and home-grown soft-fruit volumes are now less than a fortnight away.

The retailers are quick to fly the Union Jack and throw their weight behind these lines, backing UK growers and suppliers at their busiest time.

But there is a conundrum in how to push British produce without making baddies out of imported lines that either cannot be grown in the UK, are not available year-round or are not grown in sufficient volumes.

There is talk about eating “in season”, but the concept still stirs up debate. How can consumers be shown how to eat home-grown fruit and vegetables at their seasonal best? And if shoppers are urged to buy British, what message does this send out about the global industry?

The truth is that shoppers want to be able to buy a whole basket of produce at any time they like and more than half of fruit and vegetables (60 per cent) are imported into the UK, providing consumers with a consistent offer.

The moves to push home-grown produce in season should be celebrated, but the industry should look for ways to show shoppers that this need not be at the expense of fruit and vegetables sourced internationally. This is a worldwide industry after all.

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