Plum varieties arriving from the southern hemisphere with their different skin and flesh colours are usually round.

However, Marks & Spencer has come up with an exclusive South African purple variety called Tulare Giant in its Latest Discovery range. The shape is more like our elongated traditional British varieties and priced at £2 for 400g.

While perusing the citrus displays it is interesting to note that the demand for easy peelers with leaves appears to have caught on year round, rather than previously only becoming available over the Christmas period.

It also makes a change to see grapefruit from sources other than Florida or Israel. Spain’s production is miniscule by comparison, but Lidl has fruit branded with the Caribeño sticker at 35p each or three for £1.

Kanzi, the highly coloured Gala-Braeburn cross, is now well established in the UK. However, such is the demand it is also attracting arrivals from growers across Europe.

Germany, which has built up a reputation for it Gala and Braeburn grown around Lake Constance, is a case in point, and it is the source for Morrisons’ fruit at £1.50 for four.

Kiwifruit took a long time to establish itself when it first appeared in the old Covent Garden in the 1960s. While sold loose, in tray packs and even nets, Tesco has come up with a Ripen in the Home carryaway six pack at £1, sourced from Italy.

The world is also becoming a smaller place when it comes to chillies, with Budgens stocking from Mozambique at 75p for 50g.

M&S has come up with an extra measure of convenience for butternut squash from Italy, being sold in halves at £1.64 each. The difference is that it has thoughtfully scraped out the seeds. —