Driscoll Jubilee growers reckon this year’s crop of their British strawberries will be sweeter than ever thanks to highly favourable growing conditions.
The sunshine the UK has experienced of late, coupled with the cooler evenings, has proven to be the optimum growing conditions for Jubilee strawberries.
The extended hours of sunlight develops the sugars in the berry and provides steady growth time. The cooler evenings allow the strawberry to recover, meaning it has more energy to produce more sugars during daylight.
Paul Kelsey, owner of Quaives Farm and part of the Berry Gardens grower group, said: “Following a mild winter and a great spring the Jubilee strawberry plants are full of energy, as a result the berries are particularly sweet and juicy this year.
'Retailers are advised to stock up and take advantage of this year’s sweeter, larger berry. Around 1.2 million tons of Jubilee strawberries will be harvested, which is set to translate into a great year for Jubilee strawberry sales, particularly when consumer demand for quality, British berries is at a peak.
'Latest Kantar data shows for the last 52 weeks the total berry market is valued at £934 million which is a healthy +12.3 per cent year on year, with strawberries accounting for 53 per cent of the overall British berry market.'
Nicholas Marston, MD of Berry Gardens, said: 'The sunshine coupled with the cooler, drier weather this spring has created ideal conditions for Jubilee strawberries, and this season our crop will deliver perfect quality and meet consumer demand.'
Eighty per cent of Driscoll Jubilee strawberry production is created using tray plants, which have the advantage of producing larger and more flavoursome strawberries from early in the season.
The majority of Driscoll Jubilee strawberries are grown in bags on table tops, which allows the growers to control disease due to the improved air flow. Plants are grown in coir substrate (coconut husk) which prevents soil borne diseases from occurring.
The Jubilee strawberry season traditionally runs from June to September, and can be found under the premium ranges of all major supermarkets.
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