It may seem as if we’re still coming out of winter and a coat and hat are needed for odd days, but summer brassica growers are busy preparing for the upcoming season. Marketers remain divided over how the season will pan out but the issues of volume and price remain, as ever, touchy subjects.
However, producers readily agree that cooler weather during March and April certainly delayed the start of the summer season.
“Harvesting began late in 2004 but we were even later this year,” confirms Greville Richards of Southern England Farms (SEF). “Usually, Cornwall enjoys a five week lead over Lincolnshire but this year, that window may be reduced to two weeks.”
Richards notes that Cornish cauliflower and savoy cabbage came on line in late May. Broccoli began slightly earlier around May 19, with pointed and green cabbage beginning in the second week of May. “Volumes were very slow coming forward,” he says.
As well as producing its own vegetables on more than 3,000 acres, SEF also markets considerable volumes of winter cauliflowers for Cornish growers. SEF is currently constructing a 60,000 sq ft packhouse, which according to Richards, is set to be up and running by March 2006.
The producer enjoys a good relationship with Tesco. “Initially we mainly produced brassica’s in the winter months but thanks to support from Tesco, we’re producing for most of the year and our summer output has almost overtaken winter activity,” Richards says.
“Tesco has shown a strong commitment to UK producers and it likes to get new season produce on the shelves as soon as possible.”
While Cornish crops had a later than normal start, Emma Stevens, marketing manager for Riviera Produce Ltd, says planting went according to programme. “The season is now flourishing and with excellent quality in abundance, supplies look great for the coming summer,” she claimed in early June.
Marshall’s sales and marketing director Nigel Clare is cautiously optimistic about the upcoming brassica season. “After five years of deflation and hit and miss sales growth, I do believe that brassica crops are now seeing a revival in demand and we are hoping that this will transpire into better returns for the growers so that we can continue to invest in technology and NPD,” he tells the Journal.
Marshall’s began harvesting its new season pointed cabbage crop (under polythene) in late May and, according to Clare, the crop is looking very good. Indeed, his main concern this year is related to volume.
“Our yearly demand on this line seems to be increasing by about 20 per cent per annum so every year we seem to be very tight on availability,” Clare explains.
Lincolnshire cauliflower’s grown under polythene were harvested in late May. “This year we are seeing slightly better prices for this crop but prices still need to increase,” Clare says. “With prices reducing year-on-year by as much as 12 per cent we have seen growers deciding not to produce this crop and move onto alternatives.”
“It is fair to say the growing base and acreage is at its lowest for a very long time and I am hoping that this year is the one that we start to see some sensible volumes being marketed that allows us to see increased returns per acre.”
Lincolnshire growers will begin harvesting broccoli from early June but growers note the crop is running slightly late due to recent cold conditions.
However, Marshall’s is active in Spain which will allow the company a smooth transition from Spanish product to Lincolnshire. “Our demand on broccoli is still showing increases at the expense of cauliflower, however, returns on this crop have been reducing over the past three years,” Clare says.
According to John Constable, brassica crop manager for Spalding-based firm Elsoms Seeds Ltd, demand for sprouting broccoli is increasing rapidly. “This is as more consumers learn of its sweet taste and are attracted by the better packaging multiples are increasingly using,” he says.
The Brassica Growers Association also notes the interest in prepared mixes such as cauliflower and broccoli florets.
Meanwhile, cabbage prospects are looking good this season and Clare is hoping that last year’s strong demand for Savoy will spill over into 2005. A shortage of broccoli and cauliflower earlier this year also helped green cabbage sales.
“We are hoping that this will continue with the new season Lincolnshire crop as varieties such as Golden Cross have exceptional flavour that we hope can maximise sales,” Clare says.
He is also buoyant about upcoming spring green sales. “New season spring plantings are being harvested and the crop is looking excellent,” Clare says. “We have seen exceptional sales on this line which seems to show that we are having a resurgence on all our green leafy crops.”
Elsoms Seeds handles the whole range of outdoor field brassica seeds for UK growers. Constable notes that summer brassica production has fallen over the last decade. “This is due to a decrease in demand and change to more processed crop production peaks during September/October,” he says.
According to Constable, demand is always difficult to gauge. Normally, however, during the warmer months and especially during school holidays, brassica demand tends to fall.
But the unpredictable British climate can play a beneficial role in consumption. “A cooler summer will probably increase brassica consumption at the expense of salads,” Constable notes.
According to Elsom Seeds, overseas competition is limited during the UK’s summer brassica season, due to considerable domestic production. However, there are small imports of southern hemisphere brussels sprouts and occasional imports from Southern Europe or the US to cover short term shortages.
While early supply was an issue this season, marketers readily agree that working in the brassica industry is challenging. “Price pressure is the major problem facing growers, with everyday low prices seeing grower actual returns dropping year on year,” says the Brassica Growers Association. “Growers are faced with rising labour bills, increased costs of chemicals and fertilisers and fuel costs souring margins of profitability. This is leading to many growers turning their back on production.”
Furthermore, the low prices that have, in the past, caused such problems are stopping investment on smaller farms. According to observers, growers would be willing to look at extending the season but this comes at a high cost. “There is little point in incurring this cost if cheaper imports can come from Spain and the country may have had a difficult season in 2004/5 but things change,” says the Brassica Growers Association.
Nevertheless, the BGA says that it is working hard on behalf of the industry to develop new systems of crop production and develop new technology.
It believes that UK brassica quality is some of the best and most consistent and that standards are head and shoulders above other European countries. “We can adapt and quickly embrace new technology,” the association claims.
While producers are keen to boost the profile of brassicas, some observers believe that the range is suffering from an image problem. With so many of us ‘time-poor’, leading to us grazing and eating on the move, vegetables can often be seen as too time consuming to prepare. However, recent media articles identifying the health benefits of brassica, in addition to the availability of pre-packed vegetables and the introduction of new varieties, could bolster demand.
Indeed, Constable believes that the commerciality of various brassica products is still showing signs of growth as packers and processors look for new product forms to interest the consumer.
Organic brassicas also seem to be catching on among some producers. Elsoms Seeds offers a wide range of organic seed including cabbage, (savoy, green, white and red) cauliflower (summer, autumn and winter) broccoli (calabrese and purple sprouting) and swede. “We have seen an increased interest in seed for the organic market this year,” says Constable adding that the firm is the UK distributor for Bejo Seeds and Holland Select.
Certainly, brassica growers are steeling themselves for an unpredictable season. Some are confident, however, that armed with the right conditions and a bit of luck, progress can be made.
RIVIERA OPENS NEW PACKHOUSE DOORS
Riviera Produce has unveiled its state-of-the-art, purpose-built packhouse near Hayle in Cornwall. With the help of Objective One Funding, it has the capacity to store and pack 1,000 pallets of locally grown fruit and vegetables. “This new service is a boost for the industry, providing supermarkets, wholesalers, schools and hospitals with the highest quality produce, along with the reassurance of complete traceability from seed to table,” says Emma Stevens, marketing manager at Riviera Produce.
“We anticipate that the provision of this facility will not only promote, but reaffirm Cornwall’s reputation for superior quality and exemplary service both locally and nationally.”
SAKATA UNVEILS ITS NEW-SEASON INNOVATIONS
Sakata UK Ltd is unveiling the first of several new-season brassica trials from its Sutterton base in Lincolnshire.
One of the first broccoli varieties to mature will be the recently launched Green Magic F1. “This variety can be used as an early-season covered variety and is harvested from June onwards,” says Kate Smart, Sakata’s technical manager. “And with its high tolerance to heat, it can also be used for July and August harvests.”
According to Sakata, Green Magic produces dark green broccoli heads with medium beads and the variety also has excellent holding ability and a high tolerance to hollow stem.
Meanwhile, the newly named Parthenon F1 (previously trialled as K0-070) is in commercial field scale trials. This variety matures five days later than Marathon F1 and has a very small bead size, producing a smooth crown. “Parthenon F1 also has the advantages of high yield, high concentration of maturity plus a multi-purpose use for crown, fresh floret and freezing,” says Smart. “Parthenon also fits into recent supermarket specification changes which have called for reduced stem length.”
Cabbage is another key crop for Sakata and the early savoy cabbage variety Estoril F1 is in commercial trials. According to Sakata, the variety performed well under fleece in trials last year where it was coded as SK9-815. The head retains a uniform round shape during early growth and has good holding ability for a quick maturing variety. “Estoril F1 resists going pointed at maturity, therefore improving the packed appearance and extending the harvest window,” Smart explains.
Building on from the success of Sakata’s early summer cauliflower varieties, Cool F1 and Avalanche F1, the firm is now adding the variety Concept F1 to its range. Bred in the UK, Concept Fl produces a curd that exceeds the current supermarket specifications for Class 1 quality.
Concept F1 is in its first year of limited commercial production and Sakata claims it is a real step forward in the relatively limited range of summer and early autumn varieties. This year Sakata UK Ltd has also commercially launched an orange cauliflower, Collage F1. This variety matures in 75-80 days and has a curd weight of 0.4-0.8kg. The orange colour doesn’t depend on light levels, although it develops more intensely if day temperatures are between 20°C and 28°C. However, night temperatures need to be below 17°C for curd formation.
“Collage F1 can also be grown as a mini cauliflower, maturing in 60-65 days,” Smart notes. “Along with the purple cauliflower, Graffiti F1, it brings colour and interest to the supermarket shelf.”
Furthermore, Sakata is also investing in its pak choi range. “Our variety, Yang Qing Choi F1, is an improved dwarf green stem type that provides UK growers with an ability to produce pak choi year-round as it has excellent bolting resistance and good field holding ability,” Smart says. In addition, the company’s Mei Qing Choi F1 variety can be used during the main season and is also a green stemmed dwarf type that produces attractive “spoon” shaped petioles. Sakata is expanding its range and is currently developing smaller, white stemmed, Canton-hybrid types.
PASS THE DUCHY, SWEETHEART
Nickerson-Zwaan bred Duchy was affectionately given the name ‘Sweetheart’ cabbage by one of the UK multiples, as it produces small (500 gram), uniquely pointed hearts that taste particularly sweet.
Many brassicas carry the stigma of having a strong ‘peppery’ flavour, but the small hearts of Duchy are renowned for their fresh, crisp and sweet taste.
Duchy is available as a fresh homegrown product from late May until late October, which is why it is such a popular summer brassica. The same variety is produced in Spain in the winter and early spring months.
Last season Nickerson-Zwaan tested a range of brassica varieties for suitability in the production of mini vegetables. Two varieties performed very well in these trials, the first was a primo-type green cabbage called Campra, which looks just like a green tennis ball (possibly ideal for Wimbledon week) and performs well in a twin-pack with either mini cauliflower or mini red cabbage.
The other variety was Zircon, a very quick-growing savoy cabbage. Zircon is very dark green, with a fresh, mild taste, according to Nickerson-Zwaan’s Nick Bolton.
CLAUSE TEZIER DEVELOPS CAULIFLOWER PORTFOLIO
In response to demand for more easy-to-cut and bag cauliflowers, Clause Tezier UK has developed the variety Allinghi. This hardy type is planted during the January and March period, with harvesting beginning in July.
“The high quality, deep dense curd has excellent cover and can achieve many retail presentation specifications,” says John Ward, product development and marketing manager.
Clause Tezier’s cauliflower portfolio will also see another addition thanks to its existing Mayflower variety. The new cauliflower, known as CLX 33227 F1, will be produced on Mayflower’s male sterile system. “While it will retain all the known and valued qualities of Mayflower, it has a slightly greater commercial yield because there are no inbreds in the seed lots,” explains Ward.
In addition, the company’s Summer primo cabbage has been attracting favourable attention. The variety, known as CLX 3921 F, has a small to medium frame and produces a compact, smooth, dark green, shiny head with a very small core.
“It is perfectly adapted to more compact presentations from June to September and is a second, early, high quality primo cabbage,” Ward claims.
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