The first English strawberries in 2016 went on sale in Tesco’s store in Faversham on 2 March after being harvested by S & A Produce at its Hernhill nursery nearby.

The sample of new early variety Fleurette helped S & A Produce, one of the biggest greenhouse producers of strawberries in the country, to win the annual race to produce the first strawberries this year.

Tesco strawberry buyer Henry Maulik said, “There’s nothing quite so quintessentially English as the taste of sweet, soft and juicy home-grown strawberries to help banish the winter blues. We have worked with one of our long-standing growers to replicate the perfect growing conditions of strawberries at the height of the UK season to help customers enjoy Britain’s favourite fruit as early as possible.

“The arrival of the first English strawberries is great news for those yearning for longer, brighter days because it not only signifies the start of the British growing season but also heralds the start of springtime.”

Photo Caption: The sample of Fleurette strawberries

Photo Credit: Tesco

The post Kent nursery produces first UK strawberries appeared first on Hort News on 22 March 2016.