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Winter 2022-23

Summary

Page contents

1 In Season In The UK 2 Vegetables 3 Fruit 4 Exotics

Buyer recommendations

Good picks from buyers this season include:

Swede Potato Jacket Placeholder Spring Greens Apple Red (Large)

Market Report

In Season In The UK

Not just for Christmas! Still available
Quality is good
Very good
From Lancashire are excellent, albeit the current frost is a challenge
Large red and Bramley underway and going well
From green- houses in Lancashire
Don’t forget the humble UK spud!
Are still packing a punch from the greenhouses in Evesham
Starts early January

Vegetables

Now in store. Quality overall is ok, production is down depending on where it is grown. Quantity of baker in the crop is reduced.
Crop continued to bulk up through September and October but still down in tonnage. Larger processing sizes are reduced and plans are underway to import in May to ensure availability and quality for the coming year.
Main crop quality is good from Stewart’s in Tayside, Scotland.
UK loose and prepacked sprout – This year’s crop is good but we have noticed with it being a mild autumn they are not as firm as usual and although sweet, they have a reduced shelf life so we are keeping stocks tight and refrigerated.
We’re finishing off our UK crops and French imports will see us through most of winter this year as unfortunately much of the UK over-winter cauliflower didn’t survive the August heatwave.
Following the challenges faced in the summer, the crops recovered well over September, October and even into into November due a mild Autumn and near perfect growing conditions. Most crop is now in store for supply over the winter period. We do expect to have to import red cabbage in late spring.
Despite planting problems, UK cabbage is very good. No issues are foreseen and we will probably import around May before the new season UK begins.
Spanish underway as planned and will take us through winter. Our plan is still to source from Scotland next summer to ensure quality and availability.
Large onions from Spain still affected by drought this summer. This is a similar story for yellow and red cooking onions in the UK, Netherlands, France and Poland, reducing availability across Europe and making it an expensive winter/spring.

Fruit

Spanish supply has been challenging, heat from the summer has reduced fruit size and the skin finish isn’t as we would like, making them look scruffy. We’ve had to switch supply to Egyptian early where we have much better size juice content and clean skin. As we’ve moved earlier some fruit still has a green hue about it but this will disappear as the season progresses.
As with lemon, similar issues due to weather mean we are having to use a mix of Moroccan, Italian and Spanish supply to maintain availability, quality is much improved of late.
Still from the southern hemisphere, and quality is good.
Expected mid-January

Exotics

Mainly Kenyan with Egyptian now being seen. Egypt will become more prominent in the new year.
Egypt is supplying the majority of beans, along with Kenya. Kenya will take over as main supplier from February, with Rwanda as a backup.
Mainly Portuguese but the heat in August is creating some shelf life issues. Spain is also there as a backup before we move to southern hemisphere supply in February.
Peruvian supply, quality is good with no concerns.
Growing conditions are ok in Thailand but supply is difficult due to a lack of flights where we are still only seeing arrivals on a weekly basis.
Very Challenging from South Africa due to flights. Spain is being looked at as a source closer to home for supply. France is also helping with baby leek and fennel over Christmas but will finish in new year.
Spanish with some Moroccan will take us through winter. Quality is good.
Honduran have just finished, main crop Egyptian is now underway and the quality is good.
Brazilian supply, quality is good for Christmas.
Brazilian Tommy Atkins are good, Brazilian expected to be supplied throughout winter.
Mainly Brazilian and good quality. No problems foreseen
Availability of Spanish garlic is much improved. Ginger is good quality, mainly Chinese and no problems with supply.
New season French, quality is very good. We are no longer stocking round shallot due to lack of demand.

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