Tesco toasts soaring popularity of British blueberries

Demand for British blueberries is soaring, leading to growers ramping up production.

That’s according to Tesco, which says that since the start of the British season this year, it has seen demand for home-grown blueberries rise by 27 per cent, putting them among the fastest-growing fruit.

The supermarket said that based on recent demand, UK shoppers are set to buy around 57,000 tonnes of the fruit this year. However, currently British growers can only supply about 6,000 tonnes, with the rest made up from imports.

The good news is that a major planting programme will see total UK yield boosted by around a third, meaning fewer fruit will need to be imported during the summer months.

‘Fruit of the moment’

Tesco berries buyer Callum Baker said: “The British crop is extremely popular when in season and we’d love to be able to take more, which is why we are working with UK growers on a production programme, guaranteeing them a return and giving them confidence to plant more.

“Blueberries are very much the fruit of the moment as they are so popular with all age groups because of their healthy reputation and especially with kids who over the last decade have made them a lunchbox staple.

“We’d love to be able to get more, especially those grown in the UK in order to further support British growers and we are currently working with our suppliers and growers by committing to larger volumes and guaranteeing a return for their produce.”

Hall Hunter ups production

Tesco is working with the UK’s largest blueberry grower, Hall Hunter, which has four farms across Berkshire and Surrey. This year the company will produce about 2,500 tonnes of the fruit, representing nearly half of UK production.

The company has recently invested in better production methods including new grading and packing machinery as well as a state-of-the-art harvester capable of picking 600kg of fruit an hour.

Hall Hunter managing director Jim Floor said: “Demand for blueberries is at an all-time high and due to the current popularity we are planting an additional 55ha, which should produce about 4,000 tonnes of fruit once the plants mature.

“We’ve tested new varieties and are now growing types that are better suited to the British climate, with both early and later-maturing plants that will extend the current UK growing season from mid-June to mid-September.

“We are developing a new farm in Surrey, specifically for blueberries, which will be 70 hectares and it will be finished next year. We are also prioritising sustainable methods such as surrounding the blueberry fields with new hedgerows and biodiversity areas, including wild flower meadows.

“All crops are drip irrigated to minimise water usage and we are also building a new reservoir to catch surface water in the winter and store it for use in the summer.”