July has heralded the start of the new British roots season crop and despite some production issues, carrots and parsnips are set to appear on supermarket shelves in good volumes.
After a particularly troublesome period last year that saw much of the country gripped by record cold temperatures and rising straw costs, customer loyalty to the great British vegetables has remained as strong as ever.
Parsnips proved have proved a popular addition to UK wholesale markets with English product making a respectable 600-650p for a 5kg box on New Spitalfields market.
Stephen Shields of roots specialist Huntapac Produce said: “In the baking heat we have seen over the past few weeks, carrots and parsnips seem the last things on peoples minds at the moment.
“This is, however, a key period for us, we are now working not only to supply the demand from retailers currently - but strategically we must plan our field progression towards our main yields throughout Shropshire and Yorkshire in order to fulfil the busy Christmas demand.”
The start of harvest has been a particularly tricky affair due to the years soaring summer temperatures making the grounds particularly hard, according to Shields.
Along with the common Nairobi variety, Huntapac will also look to supply the Nigel variety that is grown throughout the Yorkshire growing base.
Shields added: “We have utilised the experience from winter harvesting in the frozen ground to combat this years far more welcomed problem of too much sun. As things stand however we are on the right course.
“A particularly dry start to the season could also herald a larger sized carrot as the crops look deeper into the ground in search of water.”
The traditional growing season starts in the south of the country - working its way up towards Scotland’s Dundee and Berwick areas around the January to April period, where crops are covered with hay to protect against the elements.
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