KG Fruits md Nick Marston told visitors and exhibitors to this week’s Fruit Focus 2006 show that the economic performance of Elsanta strawberries is “beginning to look dated”. Marston predicts between three and five varieties will replace it. KG is looking particularly at Juliet and Hermione.
The Elsanta crop was disappointing this spring and a lot of it was class II product, said Angus Davison, chairman of KG Growers Ltd and chairman of KG Fruits. “The level of misshapes was very high - in some crops up to 40 per cent - which has meant that this spring has not been as satisfactory in financial terms as growers had hoped.”
Year on year, average strawberry prices have been static at 326p a kilo up to July 22, Marston reported. But the KG volume sold has increased from 9,528 tonnes in 2005 to 10,083t in 2006 - an increase of 5.8 per cent compared to an increase in June bearer strawberry production of 3.4 per cent.
Strawberries have now gained ground after a slow debut. Marston said: “After a late start we have now pulled ahead of last year. The excellent July weather means that the difficult period we had this time last year has not been repeated and demand now exceeds supply.”
Premium variety Driscoll Jubilee has also been extremely well received on the High Street and for the third year running won the Worshipful Company of Fruiterers medal for the most meritorious exhibit of soft fruit at the Kent Cherry & Soft Fruit Show.
“We are really excited about the reception for Driscoll Jubilee now that it is available in significant volumes,” said Marston. “Our growers have planted 15 per cent more everbearers this year of which 37 per cent is Jubilee. We are now the majority premium offer on the High Street and are receiving excellent support from major retailers for the variety and this is as a result of a cracking promotional campaign.”
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