Individuals planning on purchasing a luxury gift hamper as a Christmas present may want to act now, after the price of ingredients found in Christmas puddings rose by 64 per cent.

Manufacturers will now have to fork out more for dried fruits, including apricots and sultanas, according to analysts at Mintec.

Flash floods in the Middle East - which produces around 20 per cent of the globe's apricots - are thought to be to blame for the price hikes.

However, some manufacturers have so far avoided passing on the increases, to customers.

Praveen Vijh, co-founder of Eat Natural, which creates fruit and nut bars in Essex, said costs have risen over the last 36 months, putting the price of ingredients up substantially.

"We're trying very hard not to put up our prices. But there will have to come a point when we will have to, if these ingredient costs continue at this rate," she added.

Earlier this week, it was revealed shoppers in Portsmouth have already started their Christmas shopping.

The Card Factory has festive goods on sale now and staff claimed they are selling well, despite it being five months until Christmas, local publication the News reported.