UK growers and retailers are forecasting a buoyant autumn fruit season, with apples expected to follow a summer of record-breaking demand for British-grown berries and cherries.

British fruit producers are reporting one of the strongest harvest in recent years, due to near-perfect growing conditions across the summer.

Long hours of sunshine boosted sugar levels, while plentiful rainfall in late August and early September has supported fruit size and overall yields.

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Tesco, the UK’s largest retailer, says bumper crops of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries have driven shopper demand, with volumes up significantly compared with last summer. Demand for berries rose by 10%, while cherries increased 35%, “as shoppers responded positively to higher quality and sweeter flavour profiles”, said the retailer.

That momentum looks set to continue into the apple season. Having spoken with growers across the UK, Tesco expects demand for British apples to rise by 10% this autumn.

Paul Curtis, apple buyer at Tesco, said: “We’ve had one of the best summers for British grown fruit in recent years, with lots of sunshine helping to raise sugar levels and create classic berries and cherries. That’s clearly gone down well with shoppers.”

“There’s more good news on the way, as our growers are now reporting excellent quality apples coming through for the season ahead,” he added.

Adrian Scripps, one of the UK’s largest apple growers, based near Tonbridge, in Kent, has reported one of the best-quality crops in recent years.

“The fruit coming through is very attractive with an excellent skin finish, whereas last season we saw a level of russeting,” said James Simpson, managing director at Adrian Scripps

“Overall colour is very good, particularly on later-season apples such as Kanzi and Pink Lady. Perhaps most important of all though is the flavour, some of the best we’ve seen in recent years, driven by the gloriously warm weather through late July and August.”