Crop Report

The arrival of British spring onions is a clear sign that summer is close. These versatile kitchen staples add freshness and flavour to a wide variety of dishes. The partnership with our grower spans more than a decade and reflects the consistently high quality and reliability of their produce.

Spanish fruit is mixed in quality, resulting in higher rejection rates. The encouraging news is that the UK season has now begun, with around half of this week’s volume coming from this country. This should rise to full British supply next week, assuming no unfo
reseen circumstances.

With the UK crop still about two months away and Moroccan output continuing to fall, the market remains under significant pressure, with heavy shortages expected over the coming weeks. 

We’re working closely with growers and reviewing alternative sources to bolster stocks, which is currently helping to stabilise our supply, but availability is expected to stay tight until British fruit starts to arrive.

The early South African crop is coming to an end, with a move to Eastern Cape fruit scheduled for early June. Smaller sizes will remain difficult to secure over the next few weeks. We have sourced additional produce to support supply, though it is expected to remain difficult until June.

Around 90% of current supply is now UK grown, helping to balance issues seen in imported fruit. Full British supply is imminent.

We continue to see strong volumes, but extremely variable quality and a number of rejections is creating pressure across the market. We’re actively managing the situation and collaborating with suppliers to secure as much consistent product as possible during this challenging period.

The shift to British supply is progressing well and remains on track to be completed around 15 May.

Italian fruit is expected to finish during May, ahead of the arrival of the new Chilean season. Controlled storage stocks and contingency plans are in place to ensure a smooth transition.

We’ve reached the most difficult stage of the handover from Central America to Almeria in Spain, when supply typically tightens due to limited alternative origins. The Spanish season has started, but it is early days and honeydew remains particularly constrained.