Sunshine sprouts benefits for Christmas veg

Sprouts being harvested by Jane Bentley, sprout technical advisor, at TH Clements farm in Boston

The torrid season last year brought about rumours of a yuletide sprouts drought, but “perfect growing conditions” have this year led to British crops being ready a month earlier.

It is good news for growers who, after enduring a soggy 2012, are now optimistic that the yield this year could comparatively be up by as much as 30 per cent.

One of the UK’s biggest growers of sprouts and other brassica are TH Clements based near Boston in Lincolnshire. The company said that this year’s early arrival will help make up for last year when heavy rain hampered growing and brought a poor yield.

Chris Gedney, managing director of TH Clements said: “The conditions are absolutely ideal especially with the recent rain that has followed a good month of sunshine.

“If the spring had not been so cold the sprouts would have arrived even earlier. “

Sprouts became part of our staple “meat and two veg” diet during and after the Second World War mainly due to rationing, but in the 80s and 90s their popularity was affected by changes in our eating habits.

They also bore the brunt of schoolboy jokes which led to general sales – outside of Christmas – falling into decline through the 90s.

Sprout popularity rose again during the noughties as a result of TV cookery programmes by celebrity chefs but it is estimated that as much as 80 per cent of total British sprout sales take place in the two-week Christmas and New Year period.

The early arrival of sprouts this week on British high streets will also benefit retailers as it will cut down on costly imports.

Tesco chilled vegetables buyer Lance Canavan said: “The early arrival of British sprouts is great. It means we can offer them all year round instead of having to rely on imports.”