The cool spring and late, hot summer weather has given rise to bumper crops of soft fruits, following a disappointing 2012, when rain caused high disease pressures and the lack of sunlight affected crop development right across Europe.

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Soft fruits such as strawberries, and stone fruits cherries and apricots are expected to have fared well, but the late spring may have affected tree fruits including apples and pears, as a lack of sunlight earlier in the year impacted on insect pollination. However, there are still a number of months to go before the apple harvest.

Cherries are a particular success story of 2013; the British cherry crop is expected to be up 300 percent on last year. Ideal weather throughout the year (a cold start, followed by warm weather in early summer) means crop condition is set to be excellent and producers are on track to reap record yields.

Experts from the British Cherries industry body, which accounts for over 70 percent of the UK's cherry production, predict that British growers will pick up to 3,500 tonnes of cherries this year. Cherry production declined in the wake of the Second World War, and production reached historic lows at the turn of the millennium. However, since the slump, growers in the South East and Midlands have led a renaissance, planting shorter trees that are easier to harvest.  

The industry group is attempting to raise the profile of British cherries, which, despite their newfound popularity, only represent 5 percent of those sold in the country's shops. On average, Britain is only 12 percent self-sufficient in its fruit production – only 12 percent of the fruit consumed in the country is grown here – though cherry consumption (and production) remain below this level.  

Although many fruit crops have been delayed by over a week, warmer temperatures last month proved a boon for both development and taste of summer fruits. The hot weather is expected to have increased the sugar content of many fruit crops, meaning they should be sweeter than usual.

A spokesperson for the British cherries industry body commented on the successful year, "The season is a little late this year and we expect to be picking fruit into early September, with up to three times the volume of cherries compared to 2012. Cherries will be even sweeter and firmer this year, due to the cold spring giving the fruit more time to develop."

However, the spokesperson lamented the prevalence of imports into the UK, adding, "British cherries are now readily available, and there are enough to satisfy demand without the need for imports."

Vineyards in the south of the country are also celebrating the interplay of hot and cold, which means 2013 is expected to provide a good vintage.

Although many fruits have enjoyed a good season, vegetable crops and earlier-ripening fruits were affected by the changeable weather and late arrival of spring. After last year, when scarcity caused by the wet weather led supermarkets to relax their requirements on outsized or cosmetically imperfect fruit and vegetables, retailers have been urged to stand by the relaxations in the name of sustainability and reducing waste.