UK stonefruit growers started harvesting a bumper plum crop this week with volumes marketed through the multiple retailers forecast to climb 14 per cent last year to 3,847 tonnes.

The season is tracking just over a week behind last year, according to English Stonefruit Group spokesman Adrian Barlow as Opal came on stream this week and is expected to make up some 8.8 per cent of the total crop. Major variety Victoria is likely to pack out to 1,866t, some 48.5 per cent of the total and will come on stream in mid August. Late season stalwart Marjorie Seedling is not forecast to start until September and will make up about 26.8 per cent of the crop at 1,032t.

Sizes are slightly smaller than last year because of a lack of rainfall, but taste and texture are forecast to be very good.

Meanwhile, as the English cherry season reaches its peak, the crop is some 65 per cent up on last year, according to Barlow’s forecasts with some three weeks left to run. “This reflects the fact there is a larger crop and is also partly due to new orchards coming into full production,” said Barlow. “This week, next week and the following week will see very big sales and then they will tail off. It really does represent a terrific opportunity for UK retailers to sell more English cherries.”

However, Barlow added that producers need to improve their communication and crop projections. He said: “The industry has got to be better at forecasting and making sure that the retailers know what they will receive and when. English growers have got to get better.”

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