Fruit

An organisation that represents top commercial fruit growers has published its first ever manifesto ahead of the 2024 general election. 

Tenant farmer Sandy Booth is an innovator at heart, having launched a unique fruit snack to help tackle waste – as well as taking a novel approach to vine growing in the hopes of producing the UK’s first Merlot. Sarah Kidby caught up with Sandy to hear more about the farm’s history, key challenges and unique approaches.

Innocent Drinks has announced £1 million funding to support regenerative agriculture as it advances plans to decarbonise its supply chain. 

The British Beekeepers’ Association (BBKA) is warning vintners and fruit growers about the detrimental impact Asian hornets would have on agriculture if they became established in the UK.

A mirror orchard has been planted in west Wales to explore the benefits of using willow mulch to tackle fungal disease in pears. If successful, it could open up a new market for apple and pear growers, as well as areas where the fruits can be successfully grown. Sarah Kidby spoke to Joey Hughes, founder of Orchard Daughters, to find out more.

The NFU has criticised the government’s response to the House of Lords Horticulture Sector Committee Report, for failing to adequately address the significant challenges facing the sector – and missing the opportunity to grow our fruit, vegetable, plants and flower industry.

Nutrel Products Ltd, which develops, manufactures, and markets fertilisers and associated products, has marked a significant milestone with the grand opening of its new warehouse.

Topics to be covered include the new apple rootstock M200, improvements in disease control and pest management, and improving energy use in apple stores.

Forty-nine faceless scarecrows were placed outside parliament, representing the anonymity of farmers, and the 49% of fruit and veg farmers who believe they will be out of business in 12 months.

Aldi topped the first quarter of the new British apple season from October to December 2023, leaving Tesco behind, according to British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL).

A project that aims to develop a commercially viable system for precisely targeting orchard inputs to specific trees, or even parts of a tree, has been given the go-ahead. The £4.5 million project has been led by Hutchinsons agronomist, Rob Saunders, and partly funded by the commercial partners, Innovate UK and Defra.

The viticulture sector is set to become the latest industry to benefit from the introduction of cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) robotics technology, thanks to a new innovation programme funded by Defra.