Kent farmers see bumper crop of cherries this year

Tom Hulme has said a mix of innovation and weather has produced a large cherry crop

A Kent farmer said he has seen his cherry harvest double in the past five years thanks to industry innovation.

Tom Hulme, managing director of growers AC Hulme based near Canterbury, Kent, said this year's cherry season will last 10 weeks, which is double the length of the season five years ago.

He explained the country's cherry industry has been transformed by the use of dwarf root stock, grafted on to new tree varieties.

Mr Hulme said: "The British cherry industry is moving at pace again now and new varieties are being brought in that are not only better suited to the British climate to improve quality and taste, but also to help us extend the growing season."

The grower said his farm has introduced early season cherries such as sweet aryana and grace star, as well as late season varieties to extend the growing season.

The farm has also been controlling air conditions post-harvest to extend the fruit's shelf life, as well as using polytunnels to control conditions.

But, he says, they have been given a helping hand by a warm spring.

Mr Hulme said: "The good news is that this year we have had pretty decent growing conditions and we are looking forward to a nice long season with the best quality fruit for several years."

Mr Hulme is one of many farmers across the UK who have reported their largest predicted cherry yield for three years, according to supermarket Tesco.

British growers are set to produce an estimated 8,000 tonnes of cherries – four times the harvest of 2018 and 14 times the yield of 559 tonnes in 2015.

Meeting summer demand

Tesco cherry buyer Olivia Amey credited the bumper crop to the sunny spring weather.

The brand predicts they will be able to sell exclusively British cherries from early July.

Ms Amey said: "The extra sunshine and daylight hours have played a major part in the quality of the fruit we've been sampling from around the country over the last few weeks and we know customers are going to be impressed.

"It's also meant that overall volume is up early in the season, meaning that we'll be able to meet the usual summer demand for cherries solely with British produce."