The 20 largest producers of soft fruit in Poland are coming together under the working title of Fresh Fruit Poland Group.

The deal was revealed in the Polish press this week and concerns mainly strawberries and blackberries.

“Our objective is the consolidation of the best Polish producers of summer fruits,” said Janusz Glinicki, president of Sadpol, the largest Polish strawberry exporter. He claimed that the new group will be responsible for 50 per cent of strawberry sendings to European markets and 80 per cent of blackberry sendings. “The new entity unites producers with a total crop area of 5,000ha,” he said.