The announcement last month that English apple crop forecasts had been revised down to the tune of around 20 per cent came as a hammer blowto some in the industry, as businesses looked to capitalise on the ongoing move towards local or British product.
A frost-free spring created good conditions for pollination and a bout of sunshine in May ensured sugar levels were optimum for a season that English growers throughout the fruit industry knew would be key, given the economic climate and the tough weather conditions endured over the last two years.
However, the remarkably dry weather in North and East Kent from the start of August has been in stark contrast to the wet conditions in the West Midlands, creating a considerable difference in growing conditions this summer. High winds have caused some russeting in Gala, leaving perfectly edible fruit, with good colour and sugar pressures but imperfect skin unlikely to meet consumers’ high expectations.
Despite the 20 per cent reduction in crops, there still appears to be some considerable positives this season. Foodservice giant Compass has made a commitment to source 100 per cent English top fruit throughout October and November, sourcing 1.5 million apples and 240,000 pears to put home-grown product at the top of the menu.
Sarah Calcutt, business development manager at marketing desk Norman Collett Ltd, says a crop reduction has not deterred producers. “Crop estimates have differed from the initial levels but the crop quality is good,” she says. “Growers are enjoying an excellent, dry, clean harvest and have been able to pick fruit in peak condition on good ground - very different from the last couple of years when there have been substantial problems with difficulty in moving fruit from the orchard through the mud.
“There is such a drive to get a big English offer to the consumer that we are likely to have a fairly fast-paced season. At present, Cox stocks are not as high as predicted and careful management will be required to meet New Zealand arrivals.”
But there is plenty to be positive about for UK top-fruit producers this season, with Gala set to reach 30,000 tonnes and Cox looking to top 41,000t, alongside the rise of new varieties, notably Rubens, Kanzi, Cameo and Jazz, which together have diversified the UK offer successfully.
Organic apples are also seeing an increase, albeit in a relatively small sub-category that accounts for two to three per cent of the UK market, as more robust varieties help strengthen an offer susceptible to the wide range of pests and diseases that the domestic climate invokes. The Bramley crop is forecast to climb by around 10 per cent and the Bramley Campaign, benefiting from the fruit’s bicentenary, has gone from strength to strength.
Kanzi has seen particular success of late and the anticipation around this season’s crop is said to be mounting. The majority of Kanzi sold in the UK this season will be from British farms, with some Dutch product to supplement volumes.
James Simpson, managing director of Adrian Scripps Ltd, says the firm will produce 1,300t - about nine million apples - while 10 other UK growers will contribute a further 300t this season, equivalent to 2.5m apples. “The appearance of Kanzi apples is a great eye-catcher for the consumer, the bright red colour is striking when packed and compared with other bi-coloured apples,” says Simpson. “Kanzi is late on the scene compared with some of the designer apples, particularly Cameo, but is being preferred by growers and consumers alike on the continent. We have seen yields this season of 40t per hectare in orchard cropping only for the third time.
“Undoubtedly, having several new high-quality apples on the scene at present helps raise the profile of them all, but we firmly believe that Kanzi will succeed while others will fall by the wayside. Not all of the new designer apples tick the boxes for both growers and consumers, Kanzi is a great apple for the consumer that is high yielding and easier to grow and handle than some of the new designer apples.”
Kanzi will be supported initially with in-store promotional activity, particularly at Tesco during November.
The pear crop has also been revised for this season, with early estimates brought back to 30,000t, still up by around 7,000t on last year. Conference sales overall are up by around 20 per cent and the absence of heavy frost this year will have given a significant boost to pear growers, who are still in the fledgling stages of their season.
Adrian Barlow, chief executive of English Apple & Pears, believes there is plenty to be upbeat about this season as home-grown apples have enjoyed a rise in sales to the multiples of 30.3 per cent up to September 26. “We have seen some very strong promotional offers on the part of the retailers and I think this is to be welcomed, as long as it does not undermine the value of the product itself in the long term and helps to realise a huge increase in shelf space and in-store advertising activities,” he says. “There is real momentum for buying British at the moment if we can increase sales and hopefully we can put ourselves in a position where we are so far ahead of the game, we need not worry so much about import replacement.
“We’ve seen some fantastic developments such as Paul Mansfield’s new cutting-edge grading, packing and storage facility, which is exactly what we require.
“I am in favour of free trade and there needs to be a unified position across the board between retailers, foodservice companies and public procurement as to the prices returned to growers,” Barlow continues. “There needs to be a very careful examination of the current situation on prices across the whole of the fresh produce industry because with food security such a concern, growers need the security to invest and continue.”
Calcutt agrees that more support is needed and feels the government needs to step in to do more. “There are targets now in relation to feeding the nation and food security has rapidly risen up the agenda, but there is a real ignorance about our sector and we have been neglected for far too long,” she says. “Unlike the arable sector, it takes years to establish a productive orchard and enormous investment, while funding is assisting growers in very important areas, it is the need to raise quality and volume to provide the needed capital for investment, which remains the key element. The manpower required to administer a farm is daunting enough and for many growers, it is the reason why they do not wish to continue.
The plethora of assurance schemes that steadfastly refuse to recognise any other standards, despite comprehensive duplication is an unwieldy burden on growers.
“The retailers… would be foolish not to support the home-grown sector - there is an enormous customer loyalty out there and an expectation to see British produce in season.”
John Breach, chairman of the British Independent Fruit Growers’ Association, tells FPJ there is a real need for committed support from the retailers. “The audits and assurance schemes that growers are having to go through are becoming ridiculous; far beyond the legal requirements on the retailers and it costs serious money to keep up. Do they really think that apples are so high risk as to need all these packhouse demands?
“This does not leave enough in the pot for reinvestment, especially with too many promotions on price and too often. Unless there is more commitment from the retailers, the number of growers will definitely fall as the supermarkets continue to dictate the rules.”
Breach says the answer lies in the ongoing debate over the Competition Commission’s recommended Groceries Supply Code of Practice. “We need a proactive ombudsman to oversee it,” he reasons. “If the supermarkets do nothing, the situation may become untenable and they can easily absorb the price of the ombudsman in their overheads. They need to show commitment to suppliers to give them the confidence to continue in the industry.”
Calcutt believes that demand for British top fruit has given the category an extra lift this season, as it continues to be one of the main beneficiaries of the trend. “There has been excellent press, TV and radio coverage with a high level of interest in featuring local produce from regional TV in particular,” she says. “The local element has remained important, with almost every retailer highlighting where the produce department is sourcing fruit and vegetables from. The Union Jack is very evident in every retailer and there are plenty of good examples of strong point-of-sale activities to raise awareness of the start of the new UK season.”
The English apple and pear trade continues to be one of the most challenging and prestigious in the sector. Backed by strong marketing on home soil, top-fruit suppliers have a promising and potentially rewarding season ahead of them if they can stand the rigours of the modern industry.
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