Storage techniques, wood pidgeon research and declining European production were among the topics discussed at the bi-annual Brassica Growers Association (BGA) conference.
A record crowd of 240 farmers, agronomists and scientists spent the morning listening to ongoing R&D projects in the sector, including how to benefit from storage techniques used in the fruit industry.
BGA chairman Matthew Rawson, said: “We have peaks and troughs in production, so storage is very much key to brassicas.”
Rawson said that one ongoing project highlighted at the conference was between East Malling Research and the BGA to strip ripening hormone ethylene out of brassicas stores.
A talk by Dr Hans-Christoph Behr, of the Agricultural Market Information (AMI) research institute in Germany, said that between 2003 and 2012, European cauliflower and broccoli production fell by 1.3 per cent. Cabbage production fell by 1.9 per cent during the same period.
Rawson said these statistics were disappointing but also heartening, as they reflected a similar fall in UK brassica production.
He noted that the afternoon marketing session highlighted the need for the BGA to get more money out of producer grower organisations in Europe.
A talk by Andy Baxter, director of aviation and wildlife consultancy company Bird Strike management, discussed the possible controls for wood pidgeons.
He said that growers could target pidgeons’ fear of the new using large, neon scarecrows, protect crops with wiring or netting, apply lethal control with shooting, or use repellants.
He also suggested several alternative methods including lasers, falconry and invisible fences.
Other speakers included groceries code adjudicator Christine Tacon and Professor Ian Clark of the University of East Anglia speaking about the ongoing research into broccoli and Osteoarthritis. The event was sponsored by Bayer CropScience.
The evening dinner was attended by 130 people and Rawson said he was “very happy” with the turnout.
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