The strawberry harvest at New Forest Fruit has just started, it is one of the earliest producers of strawberries in the UK.
"We have only just started picking the fruit from our glasshouses," said Sandy Booth, CEO at New Forest Fruit. "It is much too early to predict what kind of volumes we will have this season."
Sandy said it has been one of the wettest winters on record with over 1200mm, 200mm each month in the past six months.
"This weather encourages more trouble from pests and disease; the wet warm winter means more problems have over wintered than normal, meaning problems will start earlier as they wake up instead of being frosted out. We are probably running two weeks behind at the moment due to low light levels, but hopefully nature will help us eventually. Being a grower means being forever an optimistic."
The strawberry season will peak around mid-May, normally it would be the beginning of May, Sandy is hoping for a good demand this year.
At the moment the UK is importing strawberries from Spain.
Last year the company launched a new snack product; New Forest Fruit Snack which is dried fruit pieces which hold their shape, nutrients and flavour. "The fruit is grown, processed and packed on site here. Despite a few teething problems, we are hopefully on way now."
For more information:
Jackie Barr
New Forest Fruit Company
Tel.: +44 (0)1590 612297
jackie@newforestfruit.com
www.newforestfruit.com