This week I get the feeling that the traditional regions of sourcing are under increasing pressure from newcomers. While the run on US cranberries caused by Delia Smith has passed into retail legend, it seems as if it will never be repeated.

With Christmas drawing ever nearer, Sainsbury’s has come up with Latvia as a source for its fruit, at £1.99 for 300g.

Kiwifruit is now inextricably linked to New Zealand, which piloted the fruit over 40 years ago, but it is now a massive international crop. Following golden kiwifruit, the latest arrival now becoming commercial is red-fleshed fruit, in this case going back to its origins in China. Marks & Spencer has new-season Hongyang on display in a four-tray pack for £1.99.

At this time of year, Israel dominates the fresh herb market, but there is also tarragon and sage arriving from the West Bank at Sainsbury’s, both priced at 75p.

Chillies, associated with more tropical climes, are now being grown in Bedfordshire. The red and green variety called Serenade, at 79p for 50g at M&S, is being described as an “exciting mix”.

France may be best known for its Golden Delicious apples, but this has not stopped its tomato growers making a foray into Tesco. The Brittany Saveol group, based at Plougastel, had quite a display on, together with some interesting retailing ideas that could catch on, namely a pick-and-mix strategy for loose red and yellow cherry varieties. There was also the equivalent of a beef tomato, but far more fluted.

And in the luxury bracket - understandably, as it was one of the few products graded as “Class Extra” on the packaging and sold under the exclusive Tesco Growers’ Choice brand - a 350g-pack of red cherry tomatoes is priced at £2.99. What distinguished it was the container, which was a mini woven basket reminiscent of the full-size oyster kegs once used for Jersey Royals. And not to be outdone, Sainsbury’s has introduced an Italian variety of elongated fruit called Sundream, under its Taste the Difference label. With a minimum of 10 fruit, it is priced at £1.79.

Back in the more mundane reaches of the produce departments, there are still some eye-catchers. At Tesco, rhubarb has been elevated to almost luxury level, with the crop being flown in from New Zealand and priced at £2.99 for 600g.

In the same store, on the prepared salad front, an Oriental salad at £1.50 for 130g has been launched. I have always had trouble defining what some of these nomenclatures stand for but, in this case, it is young spinach leaves, mizuna, tatsoi and red chard, plus the extra ingredient of diced yellow peppers.

Something new is also rearing its head in the organic range. Carrots have had a makeover with the introduction of Chantenay, and now M&S has a new sweet Abeldo variety on sale, grown by Steven Jack in Morayshire and priced at £1.60 for 625g, or two for £3.

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