FW Mansfield & Son is planting on an area of some 150 acres and is putting in dessert apple and cherry trees. The work is made up of entirely new plantings as well as replacements for older trees. Jazz, Envy, Gala and Braeburn are all part of the programme for new varieties and rootstocks, and newer cherry varieties developed over the past few years also feature.
MD Paul Mansfield said: “We put an emphasis on quality throughout the process of growing, storing and packing, and we have been delighted with the outstanding success that Jazz has achieved in the marketplace, which in a very short time has established itself as one of the most popular varieties.”
Mansfield is also very keen to see a rejuvenated UK cherry industry and feels that the market for fresh UK cherries still has enormous potential to develop and grow.
“In these difficult times, we understand the importance of creating a sustainable industry and hope to see a reversal of the trend which has meant that over 80 per cent of fruit and vegetables consumed in this country are imported,” he said. “I am optimistic that those within the UK horticultural sector in general will benefit from greater political support for more home production with all the accrued financial and environmental benefits.”
FW Mansfield & Son employs more than 200 permanent staff and up to 900 staff during the harvest, and expects the workforce to expand as the new trees come into bearing.
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