What’s hot, what’s not… and what produce is around the corner?PBUK looks into the latest report from Total Produce – complete with parodies of classic movies – to find out more.
An array of home-grown fruit and veg is being harvested on farms all over the UK, while France gears up for its apple season, fresh borlotti beans arrive from Italy and the European grapes season gets going with varieties from Mediterranean countries.
Among the high quality UK vegetables right now are well-priced, high-quality leeks, an array of squash, courgettes, marrows and the very first parsnips and swede.
Peas and broad beans are over, but there is high volumes of runner and bobby beans from growers right across the UK, according to Total Produce.
“There is plenty of British sweetcorn now that the season has started, perhaps a little earlier than usual this year. The season usually goes on until at least the end of September so certainly something to think about for upcoming menus,” says a Total Produce representative in the video.
“The very first cobnuts have arrived from New Cross Fruit Farm in Somerset. There is already a very decent range of new season British squashes with plenty more to come.
“British leeks are terrific value and quality and then there is glorious Rainbow Chard and the first of this year’s parsnips and swedes.”
Orange Chantenay carrots from Norfolk are also back, with coloured varieties due to arrive next month.
UK and French apple seasons get underway
Giving a nod to the devastating frosts that hit many European apple growing regions in April seriously impacting production, Total produce confirms there will be “firm prices” this season.
“The Discovery, the variety that launches the British apple season, a delicious apple enjoyed fresh but unlike some later varieties, it doesn’t really store.
“The French apple harvests start in August as well and our good friends at Blue Whale will soon be sending us some early varieties like Royal Gala, Golden Delicious and the spectacularly delicious Nova Blue.
“A word of warning on the apple front. Unseasonably heavy frosts in late April wreaked absolute havoc right across Europe with losses in some orchards as high as 30%. Inevitably prices will be fairly firm and there certainly will not be as many apples as there were last year.”
However, there was oversupply last season so apple growers are hopeful of a better balanced market this year.
Click here to read the latest EU pome fruit production figures released by the World Apple and Pear Association (WAPA) recently.
“There were an awful lot of apples last year, there was a really glut, so the news is not all that gloomy,” adds Total Produce.
Alongside Discovery, there are also Bramley while Worcester Pearmain, Cox and Russet are expected soon.
British stone fruit
Total Produce is also hailing good quality UK stone fruit which now comes in just as European cherries and apricots are finishing.
Early plum varieties like Herman and Opal have already been harvested, earlier than usual this year and there are limited supplies of Victoria with higher quantities arriving over the coming weeks.
Total Produce use the infamous scene of Cary Grant being chased by a crop spraying plane in movie classic North by Northwest, as well as recreating a scene from Psycho, in this light-hearted illustration of UK and European produce – check it out here.
