Written by Tom Moggach
March 29, 2016

With the first English strawberries hitting the market, you might feel that the seasons are topsy-turvy.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 English Strawberries

But it's modern growing techniques that cunningly stretch the season. Extra early asparagus from the Wye Valley is another fine example. To discover how the top growers do it, see last year's Grower Profile.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Asparagus

Leafy garlic, on the other hand, is picked from the wild. Here's an early British batch.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Wild Garlic

Wet garlic from Egypt is another highlight for April.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report June 2016 Rose Garlic

I visited friends in France last month, so popped to wholesale market Rungis for a quick look.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Rungis Radishes

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Rungis

It's always a treat to visit, but the 'flash' (display) below at New Covent Garden Market also does us proud.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Flash

On the fruit front, stone fruit is typically from South Africa although this will gradually shift north to countries such as Morocco and Spain. This is the last month for blood oranges. Clementines include late season Nordicotts.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Blood Oranges

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Clementines

Yorkshire forced rhubarb is winding down. Field-grown crops will soon take the driving seat.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Yorkshire Rhubarb

You can still find English apples and pears - mainly Bramley, Braeburn and russets. I spotted cherries from Chile. Mangoes and papayas are often from Brazil and Venezuela. Grapes often hail from South Africa.

For veg, peas and broad beans are Italian.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Peas

British brassicas are winding down. Early potatoes include Jersey Royals, Cyprus and Majorcan. Artichokes are looking good.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Artichokes

Agretti (a.k.a. Monks' Beard) and puntarelle from Italy are still with us.

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Agretti

Fruit And Vegetable Market Report April 2016 Puntarelle

Salad crops such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers are shifting to the greenhouses of The Netherlands. Leafy salads are still mainly from the Continent, but the first British crops are inching in. Check out this vast escarole from France.