Demand for blueberries grows in the UK

(Agraria.pe) Demand for UK-grown blueberries has soared by 27%. This puts the famous blue berry among the fastest-growing fruits in the UK, according to Tesco. British consumers will buy around 57,000 tonnes of blueberries this year. However, UK growers can only supply around 6,000 tonnes, with the rest coming from imports. According to Tesco, this situation is expected to change in the coming years, thanks to a massive production programme that hopes to increase total UK production by a third. This would translate into less fruit being imported during the summer months. "The British crop is very popular in season and we would love to be able to import more, so we are working with UK growers on a production programme that will guarantee them a yield and give them confidence to plant more," said Callum Baker, berry buyer at Tesco. Tesco is now working with Hall Hunter, which has four farms in Berkshire and Surrey and is the UK's largest blueberry grower. This year they will produce ...