Tasty Dutch strawberries in early February?

Dutch strawberries crop, exposed to assimilation lights, available from early February? An intriguing possibility being investigated as we speak by breeder ABZ Seeds. By producing in the Netherlands, the company might save three days of transport from Spain. Gé Bentvelsen: "The Spanish strawberries may have long shelf life, but they’re certainly not the best. So far the taste of the varieties in the trial is unprecedented. What we want to achieve is a tasty strawberry right at the start of the season: a tasteful alternative to the Spanish product as early as February."

The early produce, however, comes with a price tag. “It’s true, an exposed strawberry will be more expensive than a Spanish one, so we’ll just have to wait and see if the consumer is willing to pay extra for enhanced quality. But right now, we’re fairly confident.”