UK strawberry crop availability is building towards a peak around June 16, according to marketing groups. Promotions at the major multiples over the Jubilee weekend coincided happily with more fruit coming on stream to meet strong demand.

Suppliers are now readying themselves for a marketing push in time for National Strawberry Day on June 13. The promotion is part of this season's campaign efforts by National Summer Fruits to raise the profile of the UK's favourite berry with increased media coverage.

Supplies of UK glasshouse strawberries are slowing down as tunnel production takes over. This is expected to be in full swing for the weekend with a very small amount of outdoor-grown maincrop fruit also in evidence.

Next week suppliers forecast maincrop and tunnel production running in tandem as maincrop supplies build towards June 16. Elsanta still dominates the variety picture, but there will also be some early availability of Symphony.

Meanwhile, production of early English raspberries, mainly Glen Moy, grown under tunnels are starting to come on stream in larger volumes to supplement increased pickings of English glasshouse Glen Ample. Tulameen and Glen Ample grown outdoors under tunnels should be on stream around June 16.

Cherry growers are keeping their fingers crossed that the weather remains kind and they benefit from a good season. The signs so far are promising with the earliest varieties forecast to crop around June 23 near the Medway estuary in Kent.

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