UK courgettes have hit Tesco shelves at their “earliest ever” point this weekend with the retailer sourcing 100 per cent British product within the next two weeks.
Cornish-grown product from Southern England Farms (SEF) will arrive on shelves in the South West today before further supplies from the south coast and then Lincolnshire make up the rest of supply to push the retailer up to 100 per cent by 12 June.
The courgettes are two weeks early due to warm spring weather and good early rainfall in the region, which has caused problems for those elsewhere.
Lincolnshire growers are battling the dry weather as the UK deals with the hottest spring since records began, the Met Office said.
Tim Pratt, Tesco technical manager for brassica, potatoes and root crops, told FPJ: “It is, without doubt, very dry in Lincolnshire and they have had no significant rainfall. They had a bit [on Tuesday] but not enough to danger the dust.
“It is still very challenging and we need to have some rain by mid-June - if that does not happen there will be some real issues.”
SEF has grown the courgettes on south facing hills bringing the crop on early.
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