A turning point for English fruit growers seven years ago is paying off as the cherry season steams towards a “vintage” year.
Since 2004, a number of UK top-fruit and plum growers uprooted production in favour of new cherry rootstocks, a decision this season is set to vindicate.
Total Cherry’s trading director Jon Clark told FPJ the decision was a risky one, but newer rootstocks including Gisela and Regina, as well as advances in crop cover to protect against birds and heavy rain, made investment in the lucrative crop more viable.
Clark expects this season’s crop, weather permitting, to hit at least 2,000 tonnes, of which the supplier expects to market 700t.
Total Cherry is currently marketing fruit from Fraga, north-east Spain and awaiting French and Californian fruit due any day now - the latter has been delayed slightly by high winds.
Clark said: “It is looking like it could be a record season. Seven years ago, the apple industry was going through a bad time and plums were difficult and still are. Growers decided to plant cherries and combined good planning and the right rootstocks - it was a risky investment but advances in technology have given a more guaranteed crop.”
But Clark warned that the UK is still a way off being self-sufficient in season. He said: “As a country, we are still going to be importing 6,000-7,000t during the main five-week UK season, meaning some of the commitments to UK volumes are going to be hard to fulfil.”
Supplies will begin emanating from Turkey in late May before Greece, Bulgaria and Germany come on stream. Norway, Canada and seafreight supplies from Washington State - which Total Cherry are arguably the UK’s largest handler - will also make up the fruit’s summer offer.
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