Monthly Archives: August 2017

Apples top the fresh produce charts

Trade magazine Fresh Produce Journal has announced that dessert apples have once again topped its annual survey of the most important fresh produce lines in the UK in terms of sales value.

According to the FPJ apple sales grew 5.6 per cent in terms of value last year despite a drop in volume of 2.2 per cent. The magazine says that further growth is expected in the category.

The survey, which is carried out in conjunction with Kantar Worldpanel put grapes in second place, followed by tomatoes, bananas and strawberries. While soft fruit and salad vegetables performed well in general, the value of cherries and parsnips both fell over the last 12 months.

“The past year has been a turbulent one for the fresh produce trade, with Brexit raising major question marks and concerns about the future of the industry,” said FPJ Big 50 Products editor, Fred Searle. “For the time being, the sector is in healthy shape. While the supermarket price war continues to affect certain products, such as parsnips and carrots, in other categories growers have breathed a sigh of relief as some price inflation returns. This is a welcome development given the slower volume growth seen this time around.”

Photo Credit: Public Domain Pictures

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Late season cherries could be profitable

A report by 2016 Nuffield Scholar Jan Redpath of Angus Soft Fruits suggests that late season cherry production could provide a lucrative crop for Scottish growers prepared to invest in suitable production methods.

In Cherries: the late season opportunity, Mr Redpath argues that, ‘Late season cherries can be produced successfully and profitably in climates as demanding as Scotland’s.’ His conclusion comes after visiting growers in Chile, New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Canada and Norway, as well as closer to home in the UK and the Netherlands.

“Visits to Norway and Tasmania in particular showed that climatic adversity can be overcome with robust covering methods,” he explained. “Ongoing research in Europe and North America is likely to lead to better later varieties. I additionally noted that storage techniques exist that enable ‘not so late’ varieties of known potential to give a safe option to season extension.”

Mr Redpath added, “We should not be afraid to grow cherries under covering systems developed specifically for cherries – these have been proven in some demanding climates. New entrants to late cherry production must pay great attention to the pruning requirements, especially during tree formation. It’s vital to decide on a system prior to establishing the plantation, with an end in mind at that point. Lastly, we can grow great varieties that are known to work, and also store them well. This can be better than growing the very latest variety that may have other lesser characteristics and may not store so well.”

Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons

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Breeders association working to ensure smooth Brexit process

The International Association of Breeders of Asexually Reproduced Ornamental and Fruit Varieties (CIOPORA) has said that it is working with both the UK and European Union in order to ‘to ensure a smooth transition for the horticulture plant breeding industry throughout the Brexit process.’

Dr. Edgar Krieger, Secretary General of CIOPORA, said: “Nearly all commercially important ornamental and fruit varieties grown and consumed in the UK are currently protected by Community Plant Variety Rights (CPVR). As it stands, Brexit could pose a threat to the UK horticulture industry if the protection of this intellectual property is not endured past the Exit Day of March 30, 2019. CIOPORA is dedicated to representing the interests of plant breeders in regard to their IP Rights and assisting the governments in a proper transition of these rights.”

According to the organisation, at end of 2016, a total of 25,150 varieties were protected in the EU by Community Plant Variety Right titles, of which 14,000 varieties were ornamental and fruit species. It estimates the total figure will rise to around 27,000 varieties by March 2019.

CIOPORA is also concerned about the DUS examinations for new varieties. ‘The Examination Offices in the UK play a crucial role in DUS examinations for plant varieties applying for CPVR,’ said CIOPORA. ‘They are entrusted by the Community Plant Variety Office (CPVO) for more than 850 species. For more than 650 out of these species (mostly ornamentals), so far there is no alternative entrusted Examination Office in the EU.’

Photo Caption: The board of CIOPORA

Photo Credit: CIOPORA

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Scottish scientists looking for native blueberry variety

Scientists at the James Hutton Institute (JHI) at Invergowrie near Dundee are working to develop varieties of blueberry which are tailored for UK growing conditions.

Sales of blueberries have soared in recent years, with consumption increasing by 24 per cent last year, but up to 90 per cent of the crop is still imported. It is hoped that the closely related blaeberry (also known as the bilberry) could hold the key to developing native varieties.

JHI researcher Dr Susan McCallum told reporters at the recent Fruit for the Future event: “Blaeberries are native to the UK and other places across Europe, and they’re part of the same family as blueberries, so we’re looking to develop the genetic background of both the blueberry and blaeberry to see if we can identify which genes help the blaeberry to thrive so well in the UK, to see if we can transfer that into a UK blueberry.

“We’re also looking at the genes which confer the colour through the pulp of the blueberry to see if we can understand that because that’s what gives the extra anthocyanins and the perceived health benefits of the fruit.”

Wild blueberries need little nutrient input and are tolerant of periods of drought, so it is hoped that new varieties could also reduce the environmental impact of fruit production. “[Blaeberries] thrive well because they have a great relationship with fungi. We’re looking to see if we can isolate the fungi that work so well on the blaeberry and inoculate the blueberry to see if we can help it establish much quicker,” Dr McCallum added.

Photo Caption: It is hoped the native blaeberry could help to develop UK-specific varieties of blueberry.

Photo Credit: Flickr

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