LET-US PRAY? It’s a blight to sun-seekers but the rain of recent days has proved just the job for the Fen lettuce
Iceberg lettuce has enjoyed a bumper year in the Fens - Credit: Archant
The changeable weather conditions may have left some feeling a bit blue but the humble iceberg lettuce has enjoyed a bumper 2014 so far.
Lettuces grown in the fens around East Cambridgeshire by Barway firm G’s have been thriving in the warm and wet peat and, as a result, they have been flying off of the shelves at the supermarkets.
The iceberg is retail giant Tesco’s best-selling product in their chilled salad category and remains a firm summer barbecue favourite.
Tesco says that when the temperature goes up by 10°C, lettuce sales rocket by up to 45 per cent.
With a growing cycle of just eight to 10 weeks, multiple sets of iceberg lettuces are planted and harvested throughout a season.
Rick Clay, commercial manager from G’s said: “The weather over recent weeks has produced a fantastic crop of iceberg lettuces. We have worked closely with Tesco to respond quickly and celebrate this natural abundance by making our icebergs available to customers at a great price.”