The UK's largest berry supplier KG Fruits will start this season with fruit from chairman Angus Davison of Haygrove Ltd near Ledbury in Herefordshire.

'We are expecting the first pick of Elsanta in the middle of next week,' reported Richard Harnden, technical director at KG Fruits. 'We will then be building steadily in volume depending on site and location.' AFI Direct Sales will also have small volumes of glasshouse Elsanta available next week. 'We expect commercial volumes in the week beginning April 14,' said the company's Ian Waller. 'The crop is looking well set and we will be offering our largest ever volume of glasshouse Elsanta with 40acres under glass in the UK and Ireland.' Some of the increase has come from existing growers expanding their acreage and some from growers joining AFI this season. The company's main producer is Peter Wensak.

KG's acreage under glass will be broadly in line with last season. 'We are looking at a splendid start to the season,' said Harnden. 'The weather is good at the moment and Spanish fruit is selling well on the high street.' The glasshouse season is expected to last six to seven weeks until the end of May with production under tunnels becoming available in mid-May.

KG Fruits will have Scottish strawberries grown under permanent heated tunnels on the Arbroath coast available at the end of April.

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