Category Archives: HortNews

GCA to change levy model

Groceries Code Adjudicator Christine Tacon has announced to the way the levy which funds her office is collected from the ten retailers covered by the Grocery Suppliers Code of Practice (GSCoP).

Up until now the annual budget of £1 million has been split evenly between the ten retailers, with each paying £100,000. Under the new formula, 70 per cent of the GCA’s budget will be split evenly as before, with 20 per cent based on the market share of the retailer. The final 10 per cent will be based on anticipated workload due to each retailer, based on historical issues.

Due to these changes the smallest contribution will now account for 7.5 per cent of the total with the largest representing 17 per cent. In addition Ms Tacon is requesting £2 million for the year to cover the costs of potential investigations. Any unused funds will be returned to retailers at the end of the year. While Ms Tacon refused to name which retailer would be making the largest contribution, she did say that it would be £302,000 this year.

A full report on the GCA’s annual conference will appear in the August issue of The Vegetable Farmer.

The post GCA to change levy model appeared first on Hort News.

Strawberry volumes keep pace with demand

Data released on Friday shows that British strawberry producers are on track to meet a record demand for the fruit this summer as the season enters the iconic Wimbledon fortnight.

Estimates suggest that the UK will produce 74,000 tonnes of strawberries this summer, representing some £564 million. According to statistics strawberries account for just over half of the total UK soft fruit market.

Laurence Olins, Chairman of British Summer Fruits commented, “Berries used to be a luxury item, but now they are a delicious staple, consumed as part of a healthy diet for many people.

“The sales figures reveal a robust and expanding soft fruit category that is meeting growing consumer demand. The berry industry as a whole will continue to expand and as the season begins, consumers can look forward to good quality British berries on supermarket shelves.”

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The post Strawberry volumes keep pace with demand appeared first on Hort News on 29 June 2016.

Nuffield announce new award for horticulture

The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust has announced a new award aimed at the horticultural sector.

Sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners the unique award aims to promote education within horticulture by giving an individual the opportunity to research a key issue and make long term change within the industry.

Mike Vacher, Nuffield Farming director explained that the opportunity offers a carefully selected, well-respected individual the chance to make a valuable contribution to a subject of key importance to the UK horticultural industry and society at large. “This is an exciting and positive development for the Nuffield Farming Trust and promises to give the industry valuable insights into global trends and opportunities for UK farmers,” he said.

Bruce Harnett, who studied intensive horticulture for his 2014 Nuffield Scholarship added, “We work in a fast changing global sector, and this opportunity offers a suitable candidate, the chance to broaden their horizons, appreciate the complexity of the industry, witness new and alternative ways in which to succeed, and gain confidence in the way they work in the sector. I would highly recommend individuals to apply.”

Anyone aged between 25 and 45 is encouraged to apply, with a pre-requisite that you must work within the United Kingdom horticulture or related industry.

Photo Caption: Mike Vacher

Photo Credit: Nuffield Farming Scholarship Trust

The post Nuffield announce new award for horticulture appeared first on Hort News on 29 June 2016.

Commissions agrees glyphosate approval for 18 months

On Friday (24 June) the European Appeals Committee failed to reach a qualified majority on proposals to extend the approval of glyphosate for the next 15 years.

Following the split vote the decision passed to the European Commission, with EU health commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis confirming an 18-month extension to the licence for glyphosate on Tuesday (28 June). The 18 month license has been proposed by the Commission as a temporary measure pending the publication of further research.

Nick von Westenholz, CPA CEO commented, “It is disappointing that Member States have forced the Commission into this position by ignoring the science and advice of expert regulators. The indecision of Member States and the need for an extension demonstrates how politicised this process has become. Nevertheless, it will be a relief to farmers that they will be able to continue to use this crucial tool, at least in the short-term.

“We urge Member States to take the sensible, science led decision to re-licence this safe, efficient and effective product for the full 15 year period once the 18 month extension has expired. Failure to re-license glyphosate would be contrary to the science, provide no benefit to human health, wildlife or the environment and at the same time remove one of the key tools our farmers need to produce a safe, healthy, reliable and affordable supply of food.”

The post Commissions agrees glyphosate approval for 18 months appeared first on Hort News on 29 June 2016.

Increasing earwigs in orchard for IPM

A new research project by the Dutch fruit growers association (NFO) and Wageningen UR aims to investigate why some orchards have lots of the invertebrates while others have far fewer.

“Apple and pear farmers obviously want lots of earwigs in their orchards,” says Herman Helsen, entomologist and leader of the project. “They are extremely useful against problems such as the woolly apple aphid and pear psylla.”

The earwig is one of the few insects that provides parental care. In autumn the adult insects go into the soil to overwinter. In the early spring they build an underground nest where the female protects and cares for the eggs. Once the young have reached the third ‘nymph stage’, they head into the plants, where they feed on insects, fungi or algae.

However, Herman explains that it is not currently known what the youngest earwigs eat in the nest. DNA analysis of stomach contents will be used to answer this question.

Wageningen UR and the NFO recently received a grant from the Top Sector Horticulture and Starting Materials for a new research project. The main question is what is the difference between an orchard with few earwigs and one with many? If it proves to be the availability of food for young earwigs, it may be possible to stimulate the number of earwigs by improving the conditions in the orchard.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The post Increasing earwigs in orchard for IPM appeared first on Hort News on 24 June 2016.

Lidl signs up to NFU fruit and veg pledge

Joining Aldi as one of only two major retailers yet to sign this pledge, Lidl have committed to treating all suppliers fairly, paying growers on time and reducing waste. Lidl have also agreed to increase the proportion of British seasonal fruit and vegetables available for their customers.

The NFU’s horticulture and potatoes board chairwoman, Ali Capper, said: “We‘re delighted that Lidl has publicly committed to our pledge, highlighting its commitment to long-term supply relationships, equitable distribution of reward along the supply chain and fair and respectful trading relationships.” Ryan McDonnell, commercial director at Lidl UK, commented: “We’re very proud to have developed and maintained strong, long-standing relationships with all our suppliers and our commitment to the NFU pledge cements this further.”

The post Lidl signs up to NFU fruit and veg pledge appeared first on Hort News on 24 June 2016.

HZPC members paid more than €3/kg for 2015 crop

Grower members of the Dutch potato breeder and seed producer co-operative HZPC Holland B.V. will receive a final confirmed price of €30.28 per 100 kg of seed produced during the 2015 harvest season.

The figure is 2.6 per cent higher than the provisional figure released at the end of March and is a significant increase on last year’s final price, although still more than €3 less than in 2013. The average yield last year was 42.9 tonnes per ha, higher than in previous seasons.

Gerard Backx, CEO of HZPC, explained, “Crop 2015 is characterized by the high yields. Compared to previous years, there were a lot of seed potatoes available. We are pleased to be able to announce that we sold a record quantity of these seed potatoes from the Dutch pool. The previous record sales volume was for Crop 2010, but current year’s volume of seed potatoes sold from the pool is 3% higher. Crop 2010 was somewhat comparable to the current season, with high yields per hectares and a favourable market. But for Crop 2015 the international market was certainly less willing than in 2010.

“Last year the European market for seed potatoes was very limited because of the low prices for ware potatoes. This season the European market has recovered to a demand of a regular size.”

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

The post HZPC members paid more than €3/kg for 2015 crop appeared first on Hort News on 23 June 2016.

Tesco agrees sale of Dobbies

As part of its continued refocusing on core activities, Tesco has sold its Dobbies Garden Centres business to an investor group led by Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital.

The sale represents the entire share capital of Dobbies Garden Centres Ltd. Tesco will receive £217 million in cash for the entire share capital of Dobbies Garden Centres Ltd, which will be used for general corporate purposes.

Tesco bought Dobbies Garden Centres in 2007, and since then it has grown to become the UK’s second largest specialist garden centre retailer, operating 35 garden centres across Scotland, England and Northern Ireland. Tesco Chief Executive Dave Lewis commented, “Through their hard work and dedication to customer service, Dobbies colleagues have built a great business, and I would like to thank them for everything they have done. It was a difficult decision to sell the business, but we believe this agreement will give Dobbies a bright future, while allowing our UK retail business to focus on its core strengths.”

Andrew Bracey and Barney Burgess, of Midlothian Capital Partners and Hattington Capital respectively, added, “[Dobbies] is a great business with fantastic colleagues. We’re very optimistic about the potential of the business, and we look forward to growing the business across the UK from its base in Scotland.”

Photo Credit: Tesco

The post Tesco agrees sale of Dobbies appeared first on Hort News on 23 June 2016.

Tesco adds cucumbers to imperfect veg range

Tesco has said that it will add new lines, including cucumbers and courgettes to its Perfectly Imperfect range of ‘wonky’ fruit and vegetables.

The cucumbers are priced at 35p per 100g and will form part of the Perfectly Imperfect range, which already includes parsnips, potatoes and strawberries. Sales of the range have grown tenfold since it was launched, with apples and parsnips showing particular growth.

Matt Simister, Commercial Director for Fresh Food and Commodities at Tesco commented, “Providing great quality produce at low prices is clearly something our customers find really helpful, and we’re expecting our new Perfectly Imperfect cucumbers to prove just as popular as the rest of the range. We want to do everything we can to cut food waste, and we’ll continue to do more to help our suppliers and customers reduce the amount of food that is wasted from farm to fork.”

Photo Credit: Tesco

The post Tesco adds cucumbers to imperfect veg range appeared first on Hort News on 22 June 2016.

Thanet Earth criticised for light pollution

In a new series of satellite maps, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), have criticised protected vegetable grower Thanet Earth as the second worst light polluter in the country, second only to Tata Steel in Rotherham.

CPRE said in a statement, “Thanet Earth pledged to improve its greenhouse blinds in 2013, yet the light emitted is still severe. Its maximum brightness value is 84.98 nanowatts/cm2*sr, brighter than anywhere else in the South East, including London.”

However, the company defended its use of lighting and published a detailed explanation of the screens it uses on its website. “To achieve an economically-sustainable yield in the winter months then we have to supplement the natural light that the plants receive. Both of the tomato glasshouses at Thanet Earth are equipped with growlights which provide the plants with a light intensity that replicates the light levels of a typical spring day,” it explained. “In total, our two operational lit greenhouses have some 20,000 lights at work. Each is around 1000W. These lights are usually switched on by around midnight, and will stay on until the afternoon.”

Thanet Earth also pointed out that growlights are not used between April and September, depending on light levels, and that there are few dwellings in the immediate vicinity of the site. “By leaving the lights off until 11pm at the earliest, we aim to minimise any impact of the lights on our neighbours.”

Photo Caption: The growlights at Thanet Earth stay on until the afternoon

The post Thanet Earth criticised for light pollution appeared first on Hort News.