Specialist berry supplier AFI Direct Sales reports supplies of strawberries from Egypt, Israel, Spain and Portugal. 'We have additional supply for the time of year because of the introduction of earlier plantings from our grower in Egypt,' said the company's Jill Ayre. Small trials of Tamar from Portugal and Spain are also arriving in the UK . And Israel has Tamar, Yael and Bella to offer as well as increasing volume of organic fruit. 'At this time of year, there is always the impact of the weather to contend with so the opportunity to have alternative sources of supply to move into is important,' she added.

Raspberry supplies are moving to southern hemisphere with a drop in availability from Portugal as Tulameen and Chilliwak from Chile come on stream.

And AFI will be marketing its first volumes of forced rhubarb from Yorkshire this season to complement supplies already on the market from Kent and the Netherlands.

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