Andy Sadler, managing director of Norman Collett, said this week: 'We started picking Cox for long-term storage a little earlier than last year, on August 29, and will begin picking in East Kent for immediate marketing around September 13 or 14.
'In comparison to last year, which was exceptional in volume and quality terms, the crop does not look as good. As an industry, volume will be between 30 and 40 per cent lower, but we have acquired Cox from more growers this season so that won't apply to us. Taking the industry as a whole, quality will not match last year.' Sadler reiterated the call for a better marketing approach across the industry this season, after a 'disappointing' effort in 2001-2.
He added: 'Hopefully, with the volumes that are available we will not see the need to crash prices down to last year's levels.'
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