Portugal is better known for its tomatoes and, of course, Rocha pears, but Lidl intends to add to the country’s top-fruit reputation by stocking a pack of fun size Gala apples at £1.09 for 10. Asda is also going for overseas apples, with Glosters from Poland at 95p for nine.

There are also less well-known varieties of apples around, with Marks & Spencer offering French Opal – not visually unlike Golden Delicious – in its Limited Edition range. They are £2.50 for four, or two packs for £4.

Persimmons are being given a boost by a sticker from Foods from Spain, which provides information and can be scanned to find out preparation techniques. At Asda there are three fruit for £1 and also a special giant twin pack at £1.75.

Tesco has taken the concept of soft citrus cartons a stage further with a larger pegged two-tone blue pack of Spanish Owari.

Prepared vegetables are so popular thanks to the versatility of cooking from steamed, microwaved or pan-fried, that Marks & Spencer has introduced new lines. There’s an introductory offer of £1.50 on Oriental Greens. The mix is pak choi (41 per cent), Chinese leaf (37 per cent) and spinach (13 per cent), with a sachet of sweet chilli and ginger sauce.

It is also encouraging to see local growers are making headway, and my local Budgens is stocking the Surrey-based Secretts’ nursery-packed fresh picked spinach leaf at £1.79 per 200g, and rocket at £1.89 per 115g.

The British tend to steer clear of picking wild mushrooms, but this sector is gathering speed, using sources in eastern Europe. Tesco has widened its range from Bulgaria with a mix of Girolles and Trompette des Mortes at £1.99 per 100g. —