David Shapley
A new, autumn-fruiting Polish-bred raspberry called Polka is taking the UK industry by storm.
It was launched at the trade show Fruit Focus in Kent last week. Rupert Hargreaves, commercial director of Hargreaves Plants, said growers across the country were waiting to receive delivery of 250,000 canes to plant this winter.
By next year there will be 300-and 400 tonnes of fruit available for sale to the multiples between the end of August and October.
Hargreaves said because the uptake had been so wide, there would be no exclusive marketing arrangements with any supermarket. “The appeal of
Polka lies not only in its size, clean taste and long shelf life, but because it offers sequential picking after the main crop has finished. It is also also an improvement on the current Autumn Bliss which has been the benchmark for the industry for many years.”
Raspberries are increasingly popular with consumers. Quality overall has improved and the fruit is seen as good value for money, while still offering profitable square footage in produce departments.
This fact has been born out by grower organisation KG Fruits. MD Nicholas Marston said there had been year-on-year value growth of 49% on its weekly direct raspberry sales over 2002, representing an increase from 427 tonnes to 635 tonnes grown on 180 hectares. “We have nearly 50% more raspberries in the ground compared with two years ago, although this was a low point in our production as the change in varieties took place. Poor tasting fruit has been grubbed and replaced.”
The English raspberry crop is only self-sufficient for three and a half weeks a year. KG imports fruit from its North American partner Driscoll’s to maintain supplies both before and after the peak.
“We hope this supply can be filled with UK fruit,” stressed Marston. “There is tremendous scope to satisfy what is an incredible step change in demand.”
A new, autumn-fruiting Polish-bred raspberry called Polka is taking the UK industry by storm.
It was launched at the trade show Fruit Focus in Kent last week. Rupert Hargreaves, commercial director of Hargreaves Plants, said growers across the country were waiting to receive delivery of 250,000 canes to plant this winter.
By next year there will be 300-and 400 tonnes of fruit available for sale to the multiples between the end of August and October.
Hargreaves said because the uptake had been so wide, there would be no exclusive marketing arrangements with any supermarket. “The appeal of
Polka lies not only in its size, clean taste and long shelf life, but because it offers sequential picking after the main crop has finished. It is also also an improvement on the current Autumn Bliss which has been the benchmark for the industry for many years.”
Raspberries are increasingly popular with consumers. Quality overall has improved and the fruit is seen as good value for money, while still offering profitable square footage in produce departments.
This fact has been born out by grower organisation KG Fruits. MD Nicholas Marston said there had been year-on-year value growth of 49% on its weekly direct raspberry sales over 2002, representing an increase from 427 tonnes to 635 tonnes grown on 180 hectares. “We have nearly 50% more raspberries in the ground compared with two years ago, although this was a low point in our production as the change in varieties took place. Poor tasting fruit has been grubbed and replaced.”
The English raspberry crop is only self-sufficient for three and a half weeks a year. KG imports fruit from its North American partner Driscoll’s to maintain supplies both before and after the peak.
“We hope this supply can be filled with UK fruit,” stressed Marston. “There is tremendous scope to satisfy what is an incredible step change in demand.”
No comments yet