Out-dated cold storage could become an issue if the English apple industry fails to invest, growers were told at the National Fruit Show last week.
John Wills, chairman of cold-storage specialist ICA, said the majority of UK cold-storage provision was now getting on for 40 to 50-years-old and it was becoming difficult to hire good facilities.
“With new varieties of fruit coming along, with double the tonnage of traditional varieties, in the next few years there needs to be much more new storage investment,” he warned.
Price was also an issue under discussion at this year’s show. Marden Fruit Show Society chairman, and leading apple grower, Robert Mitchell, said price was not the only issue for the industry.
“It is more about the offer and having the right quality product in the right place at the right time. I think we can claim to our customers at this show that this is our season, this is when we are at our best, and then get them to buy.”
New English varieties, following on from Gala, were also highlighted. Jeremy Scott, vice-chairman, said Braeburn, which only entered the scene five years ago, has now gained five entries from some of the UK’s top growers and was also expected to reach 5,000 tonnes this year.
Other varieties gaining a higher profile include Cameo with seven entries and the newest of the lot, the UK-grown green dessert variety Greenstar, being exhibited for the first time.
Scott added that soft fruit entries were up by a third this year, totalling 51 samples of strawberries, both of summer fruit and everbearer varieties, and raspberries as well as 17 entries of cobnuts
