They may not be part of the Christmas tradition but households in the UK can expect to see strawberries on supermarket shelves during the festive period.
That’s because strawberry-growers have developed new techniques to allow Britons to enjoy home-grown fruit for Christmas Day.
The two producers in West Sussex have produced 38 tonnes of strawberries for the period – an increase of 40% on last year.
The new system, supported by Tesco, requires 50% less water and yields 3.5 times more fruit per square metre to enable a constant supply of strawberries all year round.
The two growers are Wicks Farm, based in Ford, near Arundel and The Summer Berry Company (TSBC) based in Colworth, near Chichester.
Explaining the vertical growing technique used, David Moore, managing director of Wicks Farm, said: “This is grown hydroponically, with a water feed instead of in soil, in multiple stacked layers in an indoor environment.
“This guarantees yields while improving the supply of healthy, nutritious food and minimising the miles involved in its distribution.”
TSBC, the UK’s largest grower of greenhouse strawberries, will grow its first winter strawberries after a £6 million installation of the new technology.
It aims to produce 600,000 punnets of strawberries during the winter from 175,000 plants.
David Sanclement, TSBC’s chief executive, explained the investment would reduce the use of a combined heat and power system along with a water or air source heat pump, site-wide heat network and LED lighting would reduce the site’s reliance on fossil fuels.
He said: “We’re all familiar with British strawberries at Wimbledon and Royal Ascot but not so used to them being served on Christmas Day after the Turkey.
“We believe our new technology provides a superior-tasting fruit, all grown within West Sussex.”
Tesco buying manager, Callum Baker, said: “These are only very early days in the advent of winter strawberry production in the UK but the 38 tonnes produced by our two growers are a very exciting step in the right direction.
“The production breakthrough will mean that lucky Tesco shoppers in West Sussex and surrounding areas will be able to offer delicious British strawberries to their family and guests this Christmas.”
