A slip and slide round the rain-soaked orchards in the Herefordshire sunshine on Monday illustrated very well the problems facing English apple growers this year.
As reported on page one, there are a lot of over-sized Cox on the trees already and the incidence of smooth russeting is higher than normal. However, two separate orchards within a few miles of each other also revealed the localised nature of the issue - and underlined the significance of good picking and grading this season.
To help this process along though, there needs to be precise understanding of the market’s requirements. There is enough fruit to meet programmes, but it will not all fit neatly within the parameters of supermarket specifications.
Flexibility in this case has to be a two-way street. The apples still look the part, but by dint of nature, a proportion cannot be expected to meet the criteria of the various picking guides and colour charts that are doing the rounds. Growers will have to be prepared to be extra vigilant and retailers would serve themselves, customers and suppliers by accepting the situation and adapting accordingly.
Meanwhile, the Little Red Tractor is relaunched to a crescendo of enthusiasm across the nation. I’m all for innovative ways to promote British produce, but the Little Red Tractor has been a failure to date, and I can’t imagine I am the only one who is totally uninspired by the offering of yet another big advertising company that has failed to understand the minds of either producer or consumer.
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