Category Archives: HortNews

European potato crop below average

According to the North-western European Potato Growers Foundation (NEPG), this year’s ware harvest for the group, which includes the UK, France, Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands, will be around 24.5 million tonnes.

The figure is 14.1 per cent below last year and 2.9 per cent less than the five year average figure. It is also below NPEG’s previous forecast in June. The prediction, which is based on national sampling, suggests average yields are lower at 46.5 t/ha compared to 52.1 t/ha last year. This, coupled with a 3.7 per cent fall in area to 527,110 hectares, has resulted in reduced production.

At a national level, overall yields in Belgium show the largest declines, while much of Germany, France and the Dutch polders appear to have near average yields. NPEG said that results of crop sampling were not available for the UK the 5-year average was used in the overview. For the first time, potato acreage in Great Britain has decreased below 100,000 hectares, a drop of 7.7% compared to last season and 10.5% below the 5-year average acreage.

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European plant raisers tour British growers

The British Growers Association recently hosted a visit by a group of European plant raisers to show them various horticulture businesses around the south coast of England.

As well as visits to growers, including Vitacress VHB, Tinwood Estate, Tangmere Airfield Nursery and Hill Brothers, the visitors also toured Sainsbury’s distribution depot at Basingstoke, and Syngenta’s International Research Centre at Jealotts Hill.

“A jam packed couple of days ensured that the guests left having had access to some of the largest and most modern horticulture businesses in the UK. The British Growers Association would like to thank everyone who kindly hosted the group for what was an extremely enjoyable trip,” said BGA’s Julia Hall-Jones.

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Onion season 7-10 days later than normal

According to reports the UK onion harvest has been around a week later than average, with August drilled crops still being lifted into early September.

Jayne Dyas from British Growers told reporters that it was still too early to confirm crop volumes as grading wasn’t complete and many crops still had to reach stores and be cured, but at the end of August the latest estimate of UK production was 466,000 tonnes.

The cool spring resulted in some crops maturing later than normal, although the dry spell from June to July, and later cooler, wetter weather had helped bulbs to bulk up increasing overall yields from earlier estimates. Bulb size has been described as variable to date and the quality is currently unknown until crops are safely dried and in store.

According to Jayne, demand this year has been static, but over the last few years consumption of onions has increased in the UK.

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EU agriculture committee opposes national GM bans

On Thursday 3 September the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament rejected the Commission’s draft law that would give member states the power to restrict or prohibit the use of EU-approved GM food or feed on their territory. It fears that arbitrary national bans could distort competition on the EU’s single market and jeopardise the Union’s food production sectors which are heavily dependent on imports of GM feed.

The agriculture committee’s opinion, adopted by 28 votes in favour to eight against, with six abstentions, will now be scrutinised by the environment committee, which has the lead on this file, before the Parliament as a whole votes on the matter.

“Today’s vote in the agriculture committee sends a clear message: the Commission’s proposal to allow member states to decide whether or not to restrict or ban the use of GM food and feed on their territory must be rejected. We have not been building the EU’s single market to let arbitrary political decisions distort it completely,” said the draftsman of the opinion, Albert Dess (EPP, DE).

“The Commission’s approach is completely unrealistic. We have many sectors in the EU that rely to a great extent on imports of GM feed and would not be able to survive if it is banned. If we allowed this, then all animal food production in the EU would be at stake, which could make us much more dependent on food imports from third countries that do not necessarily respect our high production standards. And we certainly want to avoid this,” he added.

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Sainsbury’s calls for farming apprentices

With the farming industry requiring 60,000 new employees by 2020 simply to replace existing farmers, Sainsbury’s is calling on young adults to consider a career in farming as it opens applications for its horticultural and agricultural apprenticeship programme.

The Sainsbury’s apprenticeship programme, which is run in partnership with Staffline, gives young people aged 16 and above the chance to work with some of the retailer’s most progressive food suppliers, many of whom use the latest innovations and technology in the sector – from learning the digital infrastructure of glasshouse computer systems to managing crop growth through the use of drones and smart phone apps.

Every 12 weeks apprentices visit different growers in Sainsbury’s supply chain, while in between visits they learn the practical aspects of their chosen career from harvesting; identifying and dealing with pests, diseases and disorders; planting; monitoring moisture and nutrients; pruning and use of state-of-the art equipment and digital tools.

Robert Honeysett, Sainsbury’s Horticultural Manager, said, “Our research reveals there’s a significant gap between what young people think of farming, and some of the jobs that are available today. We’re passionate in playing our part to support the future of British farming, and help attract young people into the industry.

“A third of those surveyed assume they need a family connection to break into the sector, which isn’t the case. We hope our apprenticeship programme will help show that there are a number of alternative routes into farming, and we’d encourage school leavers and young professionals to consider it.  It’s one of the most dynamic industries in the UK to work in.”

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Albert Bartlett expands in US

UK potato producer Albert Bartlett is expanding its US operations thanks in part to celebrity endorsement of its Rooster potatoes.

According to a report they are now the favourite potato of Colorado’s Denver Bronco American football team, with crops now grown in the state as well as three other states. “This is Ireland’s favourite potato,” says David Cross, Bartlett’s Scottish-born U.S. vice president of sales and marketing. “We decided to develop for flavour, rather than farmers’ yield. It’s the big thing that people forget. Food’s got to taste good.”

In the United States, Bartlett’s potatoes are available in stores including Whole Foods, Costco and King Soopers.

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Best UK cherry season in 30 years

Trade organisation British Summer Fruits says that UK growers are set to harvest 4,500 tonnes of cherries this year, making this year the most productive season in more than 30 years.

However, despite this demand for home grown cherries still outstrips supply. The growth in production is reported to be down to dynamic young growers who have tapped into the burgeoning demand for British cherries. Record sales this year could exceed £32 million, with demand continuing to grow.

MD of cherry producer Haygrove, James Waltham, said, “Thanks to a combination of great varieties which are better suited to the UK climate, year-on-year performance of cherry orchards in general is far more consistent than it used to be, bringing greater yield and superior quality fruit.

“The British cherry season is also growing. Where it once lasted barely two months, the season now extends from early June until early September; thanks both to new varieties and modern growing systems, particularly the use of polytunnels.”

Tesco cherry buyer Tom Emmett commented, “Shoppers prefer British cherries as they’re considered to be amongst the best in the world – not only the richness of their taste but also the juiciness of their flesh and overall texture. Nothing beats a British cherry.

“It’s all about availability – if we can get British grown cherries then we know our shoppers will buy them. They are extremely popular and one of the absolute joys of summer.”

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New tractor finance from John Deere

John Deere Financial has announced a new finance programme for customers of its compact tractor range in the UK.

This includes the 1R, 2R, 3R and 4R Series models with power outputs from 25 to 66hp. Some models also have a choice of AutoConnect drive-over rotary mower decks and, on selected models, the company’s award-winning Hitch Assist system, which makes coupling up implements and trailers to the tractor’s rear hitch quicker, easier and safer.

Available to business customers until further notice, the finance offer is for 4 + 44 monthly repayments at an overall flat interest rate per annum of only 1 per cent, based on 60 per cent of the recommended retail price. Using the example of its smallest model, the 1026R, John Deere Financial says that an initial financed payment of £586.16 would be followed by 44 payments of £146.54, based on a retail price of £11,273 and a net deposit of £2029.20, giving a representative APR of just 3 per cent. The VAT can be paid in total on signing a hire purchase agreement, or on each payment on a finance lease scheme.

“This tractor finance offer is ahead of anything else currently available on the market,” says John Deere Limited turf division manager Chris Meacock. “Financing new equipment in this way can help any business to forecast and fix its capital investment costs, while also taking advantage of the latest available technology.”

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Tong: Five-line potato peeling at M&F

Processed potato supplier M&F Ltd, based in Woodmansey, East Yorkshire, has installed a new potato processing and peeling facility, to increase the throughput and efficiency of its potato handling operations.

M&F Ltd supply processed potatoes to companies who further process the potatoes into ready meals for the UK’s major supermarkets and handles more than 100,000 tonnes of potatoes per year.

In order to update their current processing operations, M&F Ltd required a complete potato handling facility. As part of a turnkey project Spilsby-based Tong Engineering designed to five independent peeling lines for optimum throughput. The new facility gently handles the potatoes from receiving dirty crop in boxes to packing the processed crop ready for despatch.

Graham Stark, Managing Director at M&F Ltd, explains, “Demand for processed crop continues to increase and in line with this, our peeling facilities needed some additions and upgrades to cope with the amount and variation of crop we now need to process on a daily basis. We handle between 1,200 and 1,800 tonnes of potatoes a week and we needed a very efficient potato processing line to handle our crop. We have worked with Tong Engineering for a number of years and they have supplied us with grading and handling equipment that has helped to significantly improve the efficiency of our operations.”

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New apprentice training for John Deere

John Deere has appointed ProVQ as its new partner to deliver the company’s award winning apprentice training programmes.

ProVQ was established in 2005 to apply this training expertise to apprentice programmes and today it trains over 600 apprentices and hundreds of adult learners on technical, parts and customer service programmes for key players in the automotive industry.

For the new training year starting this autumn, first year apprentices will be based from November at a new Apprentice Training Centre located at Radcliffe-on-Trent, 15 minutes away from John Deere Limited’s headquarters at Langar, Nottingham. The second and third year apprentice programmes will also transfer to the new location.

“I believe this new partnership with ProVQ will enable our apprenticeship training to maintain its position as the benchmark programme for the agricultural and turf industries,” says John Deere Limited training centre manager Richard Halsall. “The arrangements we have put in place to ensure continuity of training provision should make the transfer as seamless as possible.”

A new registration page is now live on the ProVQ Apprenticeship finder website, at http://apprenticeshipfinder.co.uk/john-deere.

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