Strawberries now larger than new potatoes in Finland

Strawberries at Finnish markets have grown unusually large this season, with some exceeding the size of new potatoes, Yle reports.

Shoppers at Mikkeli market on Friday noted the exceptional size, with one buyer, Eeva Ikonen, remarking, “Terribly big. Strawberries have never been like this before.”

Heidi Wirtanen, executive director of the Finnish Fruit and Berry Growers’ Association, attributes the size to favorable early summer conditions: consistent rainfall and temperatures around 20°C, allowing the berries to grow larger before ripening. Heatwaves, she notes, would have prevented this growth.

New cultivars may also play a role. Sisko Jokelainen, a vendor at J. Puikkonen’s fresh market, explains that first-year harvests from new varieties tend to yield larger fruit, with sizes normalizing in subsequent seasons.

Despite the size, quality remains high, Wirtanen says. Breeding prioritizes flavor, along with disease resistance, winter hardiness, yield, and shelf life. While the Polka variety has long dominated Finnish fields, newer types are gaining ground as older ones phase out.

Growers plant multiple varieties to ensure resilience across weather conditions and extend the harvest season. The main strawberry harvest is now underway nationwide, except in northern Finland, where it begins next week.