Southern England Farms (SEF) is set for a major expansion into peas, sweetcorn and asparagus as it continues to diversify its product portfolio.
The Cornwall-based grower has also announced an operating profit of £1.5 million for the year to 31 October 2011, a figure up some £1.1m on last year despite a £1.5m drop in turnover.
SEF’s improved performance came from internal efficiencies that have increased yields and reduced harvesting costs, alongside the installation of a new IT system, a good summer for broccoli and high cauliflower prices in April, the company said.
Over the last three years SEF has diversified from a winter brassica business into a year-round vegetable supplier with sales of over £12m of local produce to retailers.
It made the move in response to unpredictable winter weather leaving the firm open to high levels of risk.
Its latest diversification features a huge expansion of asparagus, with 500 acres of the crop to be planted over the coming five years.
“Consumer demand for English asparagus has, and continues to show, significant growth,” said managing director Greville Richards.
“Of the new crops introduced, asparagus requires the greatest investment as it is a 10 year crop cycle with high input costs and no return for the first two years, but April 2012 will see the first crops marketed to SEF’s existing customers.”
In further developments, SEF has won contracts for 2012 with two retailers for Cornish green beans, a crop with an estimated turnover of £1.5m. The company will also add sweetcorn and peas into the mix next year.
SEF has also recruited new staff to its finance, commercial, farm and operations departments.
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