Having spent a couple of days deep in Iberia, catching up, courtesy of the FPJ editor and Foods from Spain, on the cherry and plum industry, I am even more convinced that the timeframes necessary for fruit growers around the world to achieve commercial development and those determined by the ideals of their retail customers are growing further apart.
It can be argued that vegetables and berry fruit share the same development problems as tree fruit, but these are less noticeable as a crop switch is faster, even though the initial selection of new varieties may be as onerous. Everyone is looking for something new and innovation is no longer restricted to the borders of one’s own country or even continent. But fruit needs time.
Spanish growers, for example, are equally familiar with the potential of stonefruit breeding programmes in Canada, the US or Japan. Similar examples of the impact on topfruit abound. One of the apples which has a strong retail presence is Fuji, originating from China. It is now grown across the globe, following the pattern of New Zealand Gala and Braeburn, which have been so successful in Kent orchards.
But for the fruit producer there is an additional dimension to consider when making a choice. Selection is no longer just the ability of the orchard to adapt to local conditions, produce a high yield and be grown in a manner allowing harvesting to be as economical as possible at the right time in the international seasonal calendar.
Crops must be more than just disease-resistant and environment-friendly. They must also allow for an on-going reduction in the level of pesticides used, to be replaced by biological control. A bonus is longer term storage ability as part of the trend to extend seasons.
What was evident on my trip is that these factors are now regarded as the norm. So the old English saying concerning “planting pears for one’s heirs”- which can be applied equally to many other fruits - is already history.
But there is a downside. Retailers want new varieties for all sorts of reasons. In some cases, it is to respond to food fashions, in which fresh produce now plays an increasingly important role. When newcomers are discovered, buyers want them on their shelves fast and usually linked to a period of exclusivity. This gives a chance to both add value and reflect their expertise in sourcing to consumers in the highly competitive sector in which they operate.
Good news in theory for the producer. But in the process, not only are other already proven varieties often pushed aside so the element of choice actually decreases, but new arrivals face the danger of being discarded quickly after a trial period before orchards reach commercial maturity.
The system may work well for manufactured products, which can be produced to order at the touch of a button, but horticulture has always been different. Our systems may be speeding up, but nature can only be hurried so much.
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