Broad bean growers and marketers have been contending with a mixed season, following on from last year’s disastrous harvest.
One large supplier to the wholesale markets said: “This year, yields have been good. We started in Devon and Cornwall in June and are supplying Worcestershire product now and are just about to move into Scottish supplies. We should have availability from the UK until October.”
Last year’s very wet weather caused a lot of problems and, although rainfall is estimated to be above average this summer so far, it has been lower than last season and more spread out over the whole period. “At times there has been too much product around and prices have suffered,” said the supplier. “But we have really packed our beans well and taken care on presentation, which has helped.”
Supermarkets report that the fresh crop has been in demand as last year’s rainfall and problems with Bruchid beetle infestation in the eastern counties of England led to a shortage of beans for freezing.
“There has been a decline in area over the last 10 years and we are down to about 2,000 acres now,” said Tim Mudge commercial manager of the Processed Vegetable Growers Association. “Production has also been migrating northwards due to problems with the Bruchid beetle which does not seem to survive so well in cooler temperatures.”
Some supermarkets have been dealing with a shortage of frozen supplies, said Mudge following the flooding of last summer and the damage inflicted by the beetle. Waitrose ran out of supplies of frozen broad beans but fresh product was selling well so far this season as the harvest for product for freezing got under way this month.
No comments yet