English-grown raspberries are making an early appearance on the shelves of high-end supermarket chain Waitrose following a mild and sunny winter in the U.K. and a new variety that is boosting volumes. 

Waitrose claims this is the earliest home-grown raspberries have ever been stocked as the fruit is not usually available in March.

However, a mild winter in Britain with plenty of sunshine helped move things along.

Grown under glass in southeast England by long-term producer and Waitrose supplier Harry Hill, the berries are harvested by hand to reduce injury to the delicate fruit.

Hill also supplied the first strawberries of the season to Waitrose earlier this month.

"This is the first time we've been able to offer British grown raspberries so early in the year," Waitrose buyer Nicki Baggott says in a release.

"It's incredibly unusual to have these ready in March, but a combination of growing techniques and the perfect weather have meant we can sell these juicy delights earlier this year."

The raspberries are in stores across the U.K. from March 28.

Meanwhile, British Summer Fruits (BSF) - an organization representing 98% of berry growers in Britain - is monitoring the U.K. outdoors raspberry crop and forecasting that volumes will be ready for the end of May or beginning of June, depending on the weather.

"Outdoor crops are currently running two weeks behind last year," a BSF spokesman told www.freshfruitportal.com.

"The U.K. glasshouse raspberries are two weeks ahead of last year. The main reasons for the earliness are due to the move to the Berrywold Plus variety Diamond Jubilee and the use of better quality glasshouse than last year."

www.freshfruitportsl.com