One of the best-known names in Bramley fruit growing is to cease production after the 2010 crop.
Ian Mitchell told freshinfo this week that the Robert Mitchell Partnership is being wound up. He said: “The fact is that our net returns from supermarket trading have fallen below the cost of production and that is the bottom line.
“I had always intended to continue fruit growing beyond retirement age, but now that is not possible. I am going to look at diversification ideas and niche crops. Robert Mitchell will continue fruit growing, but he will concentrate on the processing sector.”
The news has left many in the industry reeling. One insider told FPJ: “This is really sad, not just for the staff involved but also for the English industry. I think this is the thin end of the wedge and it leaves other substantial growers considering their position.”
Mitchell’s exit from the Bramley scene comes after 17 years at the helm of the Bramley Campaign, in which he played a vital role almost from inception and as chairman from 1990-2007. It also comes at a time when consumption of fresh Bramley is growing, thanks in large part to the efforts of the campaign.
English Apples & Pears chief executive Adrian Barlow said: “Over the last five years, we have seen genuine consumer concern over global warming give a fillip to UK production. There is no doubt the multiple retailers have been aware of this trend and have set out to source greater volumes of English produce, and we can see this in the figures. As far as Bramley is concerned, sales through the multiples between August 1 and November 14 have increased by 6.5 per cent in volume year on year.”
However, retail pricing has been static. Barlow said: “Government has called for an increase of 20-25 per cent in domestic production to ensure food sustainability, but that will only come about if growers can see that they will receive the returns that justify the huge investment necessary to achieve that. But at the moment, across the fresh produce industry, the returns to producers do not justify increased production, let alone further investment."
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