The UK blackcurrant harvest is expected to yield over 11,600 tonnes this year, despite the impact of poor weather.
The Blackcurrant Foundation said growers had faced challenging weather patterns this year, with heavy rain and a warm winter which brought insufficient winter chill for blackcurrant varieties across most regions except Scotland.
Despite this, reports of the harvest are optimistic.
“The spring weather was conducive to good growing conditions with plenty of rain, and unlike Europe, we escaped any late frosts, which can damage blossom,” said Simon Hill, senior category buyer at Ribena owner Suntory GB&I. “Warm weather in late May and early June accelerated the fruit ripening, and we started processing earlier than usual.”
He added that wet weather had affected fruit sugar but has given “very good yields and heavy crop”.
The Blackcurrant Foundation said the groundwork for the 2024 crop was laid in July 2023, when favourable weather allowed the bushes to produce extension growth, which flowered this year and underpinned the current harvest.
Additionally, new climate-resilient varieties like Ben Lui and Ben Macdui are being harvested in quantity for the first time this year, and early yields and quality has been promising, said the group.
“The berries are the biggest I’ve ever seen, high in sugar and ready to go,” said Jo Hilditch, chairperson of the Blackcurrant Foundation. “However, climate change is a serious issue, and the weather earlier this year made it very difficult and sometimes impossible to get our cuttings in the ground.”
Over 90% of British blackcurrants are destined for Ribena, with a small amount finding their way to the supermarket shelves and other products, including frozen formats and other soft and alcoholic drinks.
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