Summer has brought good news for lovers of fresh produce - retail prices are on their way down. Michael Barker and Richard Ford report


Good growing conditions have brought wide availability of fresh produce to the UK market, and lower prices for the consumer as a result.

The basket of 12 fresh produce items is 4.6% cheaper month-on-month at £14.47, and 1.4% less than it was a year ago.

The weather is playing a significant role in making more produce available to buyers. Oranges, for instance, are 13% cheaper than they were a year ago at 26p each thanks to better availability. This year's Spanish crop was larger than that in 2008, with the season also going on for longer, while good growing conditions meant the South African season kicked off three weeks earlier than usual in June.

The wide availability of oranges on the UK market has meant lower prices for consumers, according to Prag Mistry, MD of importers Fruitmann.

The price of UK produce has also fallen due to favourable weather conditions. Carrots are down in price by 5.6% month-on-month to 79p/kg. The drop was the result of increased availability this season because of the warmer weather, said Guy Poskitt, director of supermarket supplier MH Poskitt.

Although 2009 had brought its fair share of wet weather, the conditions in the spring had been excellent for sowing which, combined with warm temperatures, had produced a good crop.

The price of potatoes has fallen as British crops come into season, with yields up 20%, according to The Potato Council, while tomato and mushroom prices are also down.

And retail prices were also lower, as growers were starting to see a reduction in input costs such as fuel and fertiliser, which was easing the pressure they had experienced last year, Poskitt added.

White seedless grape prices are down 6.1% month-on-month to £2.69/kg as the Egyptian season came to an end and cheaper Spanish produce came to market, one importer said. Last year poor weather wiped out most of the Spanish crop, leaving prices 9.3% higher than they are presently.

In the salads category, supermarket promotions and the appearance of 'seasonal producers' selling into the summer market had kept prices down on iceberg lettuce, said British Leafy Salads Association chairman David Piccaver. Icebergs are 19.4% cheaper than a month ago and 9.6% below last year at 66p each, with retailers keen to encourage purchases throughout the crucial summer period.

Broccoli shows the second-biggest price drop, having fallen 10.4% month-on-month to £1.68/kg. The change since last month was due to the increasing amount of UK grown broccoli coming on to the market after the season started in June, an industry source explained. The brassica category had experienced a "rollercoaster ride" over the past few months, he said, and broccoli was still almost 20% more expensive than a year ago.

"It's challenging out there with the weather, on quality and availability," he said. Yet sales had been strong for July, as shoppers started buying into the category as the warm weather began to falter.

Even apples, which are up 7.9% month-on-month, are still 24.3% cheaper than last year.

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