The cold and snowy weather which has persisted throughout March is expected to cause seasonal delays to some of the UK’s most important crops.
Norfolk-based grower Tim Papworth, chairman of the NFU Potato Forum, admitted that the region was “well behind” on potato plantings and anticipated that the UK’s potato crop would fall behind schedule this season.
“We won’t do any plantings until after Easter, and I don’t expect us to start harvesting the new crop until August; we usually start at the end of July,” said Papworth.
Guy Poskitt, the acting chairman of the NFU’s Horticulture & Potatoes Board, added that the cold start to the year would mark another difficult season for growers.
“This is definitely going to be another high-price season, there is no doubt about that. I believe vegetable imports will be up this year too.’
A root-crop grower bytrade, Poskitt says that soil temperatures, which should be around 8º for this time of the year, are currently 2º at his Yorkshire-based farm,with carrot production 30 per cent behind.
The cold weather has also had an impact on soft-fruit growers, with prominent supplier Anthony Snell admitting that an early start to the UK season was now “out of the question”.
He explained: “Planting and ground preparation is way behind and any prospect of an early start to the British season for soft fruit is now a distant memory.
“Soft-fruitcrops under polytunnels and fleece are not growing due to the extreme conditions and low light levels; yields and production will inevitably be down.”
Meanwhile, UK asparagus could also suffer a setback withthe vital Oxfordshire crop three to four weeks late, and shortages expected.
Asparagus grower Yulian Korkinski, from Millets Farm inAbingdon, predicted prices would soar. “It is worrying. They are movingvery slowly. The nights are just too cold for them and during the day it is not the right temperature either.”
Snow and freezing conditions are expected to continue late into April, according to the Met Office.
Itsfurthest prediction, which stops on 22 April, predicts colder than average conditions and frosty nights to maintain their grip on Scotland,northern England and further south throughout the month.
