Strawberry prices have been spiralling on wholesale markets as supplies run extremely tight. In Liverpool, traders reported trays of eight 500g punnets from Belgium reaching £33 while in Hull one wholesaler said the same packs and weights of Dutch strawberries were being sold to order at £44.
The Egyptian season has started later than usual due to cool, wet conditions but first arrivals on Manchester market were already making 200-220p for 250g this week.
Nick Marston of marketing desk Berry Gardens said the warm autumn has shaped both supply and demand in the UK. “The nice autumn weather has helped production under tunnels carry on longer than usual…we still have some UK glasshouse production which the consumer prefers to imports.”
At New Spitalfields Market, JT Produce has begun selling Korean strawberries, which are said to offer an especially sweet flavour in comparison to other varieties available at this time of year.
The wholesale price was £6 per punnet and interest was said to be high.
