The melons went on sale in 100 Sainsbury’ stores in July, with a predicted harvest of 10,000 over the next six weeks.
Finbar Cartlidge, fruit buyer at Sainsbury’s, said: “Buying British melons means fresher fruit for our shoppers. As the fruit is grown in the UK they arrive at our stores far quicker than our imported fruit from Spain so the fruit is fresher.”
Sainsbury’s farmers and fruit specialists, helped by the spectacular run of weather earlier in the year, have created record breaking yields from Chanterais and Cantaloupe plants in the 4.5 hectares of land devoted to melon farming.
According to seed specialist, Claude Guerin, some of the vines are producing up to eight fruits each, two or three more than would be expected from crops in Spain and the south of France. Chanterais and Cantaloupe melons will be available priced at £2.29.
Source: J Sainsbury plc
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