Brussels sprouts expected to be 25% bigger this year

Brussels sprouts will be 25% bigger this year, according to Tesco.

Good growing conditions and new, hardier varieties have resulted in the "best [crop] we've had in recent years" of the Christmas staple, said the supermarket.

The average sprout this year is 30mm in diameter, up from 24mm last year.

Last year, heavy rainfall in late November and December meant the sprout yield was lower than average.

"This year we've pretty much had a reversal in growing conditions to 2023," said John Moulding, commercial director of Lincolnshire-based vegetable supplier TH Clements.

"[We've had] the right amounts of warmth and sunshine during the summer months after they were planted, good amounts of rain during the autumn and now colder weather in December."

In order to make sure there are enough sprouts for every Christmas plate, Mr Moulding's team moved their growing plots to a different type of soil compared to last year.

This year, their sprouts were grown on "alluvial silts" on the east coast of Lincolnshire, which are silty fields on reclaimed marshland.

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"The silts are situated in different growing areas that all have their own microclimates and coastal frost protection," said Mr Moulding.

"Sprouts enjoy the breeze of the coast that gives frost protection."

Tesco also said it worked with growers to choose different, hardier varieties of sprout that could withstand the UK's temperamental weather.

In the past, sprouts have been modified to reduce their bitter taste, which is also softened by frost which turns bitter starches into sugars, according to the University of Warwick.

"The quality of the festive crop that has been coming through in the last few weeks is among the best we've had in recent years and we are certain sprout fans will be delighted," said Simon Tenwick, buying manager at Tesco.

In the final days running up to Christmas, TH Clements will run up to 16 harvesters around the clock to deliver around 192 million sprouts.

Tesco expects to sell around 1.5 million kg of sprouts in the two weeks leading up to Christmas, when around 25% of the annual sprout consumption happens.

This works out at three sprouts for every man woman and child in the country, according to the supermarket giant.