Northern Irish growers are battling poor weather, water shortages and attacks from pigeons in a nightmare New Year that has left supermarket promotions curtailed.
Growers have been severely hit by pigeons attacking crops as they attempt to find food in the snow with the weather reaching -23°C.
Temperatures veered from-15°C on 23 December to 7°C on 30 December, damaging crops in the quick thaw. Brassica and carrot crops have been particularly damaged with the latter suffering fields of destroyed vegetables before straw was put on crops.
Northern Ireland has suffered from water shortages over the festive period after pipes burst in the cold weather. David Morrow, commercial manager at Gilfresh Produce, told FPJ: “The water shortage has not been a problem as we have boreholes but we have had to work in the night to keep conveyors and heaters running in the cold weather. There has been horrendous pigeon damage to crops and the weather has created shortages meaning supermarket promotions have had to be curtailed. NI agriculture minister Michelle Gildernew said emergency supplies of water were being delivered to rural areas and the situation was improving.
