Crop Report

A seasonal favourite with chefs, Jersey Royals have now arrived. Grown on the island’s coastal slopes and harvested by hand, their distinctive flavour is shaped by Jersey’s unique soil and sea air. A true sign that summer is on the way, make the most of the short season and add them to menus now.

Spanish quality is variable, leading to higher rejection rates. The positive news is that British fruit has now started, with around 10% of this week’s intake coming from the new season. British volumes will increase significantly next week as the crop matures in the warmer weather.

A premature end to the British season, combined with poor availability from Spain and other European sources, is creating market wide shortages. We have introduced new concessions and are working to identify additional product, but supply is expected to remain tight until the new UK season begins at the end of the month.

We are nearing the end of the early South African crop and will move to Eastern Cape fruit at the beginning of June. Smaller sizes will remain challenging over the next month. Additional late season Spanish Verna lemons have been sourced to support availability, though this naturally larger variety will not resolve the shortage of small fruit, which is likely to continue into June.

With the UK season still around a month away and Moroccan volumes declining, market availability remains extremely tight. We are working closely with suppliers and exploring alternative origins to support supply, but conditions are likely to remain challenging until British fruit comes online.

Volumes are acceptable, but inconsistent quality is creating market wide availability pressures. We continue to manage the situation effectively and are working with suppliers to maximise supply during what remains a difficult period.

Concessions remain in place on weight due to earlier poor growing conditions. Oedema continues to affect some crops, and a separate concession is in place to manage this.

Italian fruit is expected to finish in May ahead of the new Chilean season. Contingency plans, including controlled storage volumes, are in place to support a smooth transition.

We are entering the most challenging point in the transition from Central America to Spain, when availability typically tightens due to limited alternative origins. Honeydew is particularly difficult and, although we have secured some additional Brazilian fruit, there are delays in transit, which may cause short term gaps until it arrives.

High temperatures in Mexico are affecting growing conditions and have prompted an earlier than planned switch to Peru. We are working closely with suppliers to ensure continuity. The British season is now underway and will run until the summer solstice in late June.

Around 40% of supply is now British, helping offset quality challenges in imported fruit. We expect a notable uplift in UK volumes next week.

Spanish product is currently smaller than required, so we have moved to 100% UK supply for the next couple of weeks to maintain quality.

As the season winds down, we are seeing some isolated quality issues, including yellowing. We are working with suppliers to minimise any impact on customers.

The transition to UK supply is underway and is expected to be completed by 15 May.

The first of the new season UK crop will be available in the next week or two, arriving two to three weeks ahead of plan.