It was heartening to see the English apple and pear industry, or what remains of it compared with 20 years ago, in such confident mood this week.

Dessert fruit may be on the small side, judging by the references to it being ideal for pre-packs, after a season when size tipped the other end of the scale, but that’s the way of horticulture.

The choice of the maritime-history-steeped Trinity House in the City was perhaps particularly appropriate as the industry steers a course into the future, especially given that there are only 20 substantial producers left, according to English Apples & Pears chairman Robin Pooley.

A long-term worry, as he intimated, is whether eventually there will simply not be enough fruit to service the vociferous needs of fewer, larger multiples constantly embroiled in a price war and continuing to squeeze growers’ margins.

Many of the great family names in the south east of England which were part of the top-fruit heritage - and who in my memory gave a similar warning - have disappeared.

Cox may still be the glue which holds the fabric of the UK industry together, but on the world market there are even more apples being grown than ever before which have longer seasons offering the consumer alternative choices of colour and taste. Indeed if newcomers from any source prove not to be sufficiently popular they quickly fade away, making the life of a variety as little as five years, in some cases.

What gives me cause for hope is that our growers are now listening, they are far less hidebound and stuck in their ways, and they are making things happen. It was not long ago when to question whether Cox really was the best apple in the world was tantamount to heresy.

I believe the breakthrough probably came at a time when there was a presentation to the industry deep in the heart of Kent on Gala, given by Brian Aitken, UK manager of the New Zealand Apple & Pear Marketing Board.

It was accepted that Gala was a wonderful apple and was taking the world by storm simply because the consumer liked the taste. But Aitken took the view that apart from the expense of having to be picked over several times it could only really grow well in a much warmer climate.

Yet today it is the UK’s second largest - and one hopes profitable - variety with Braeburn catching up fast. So we may now be moving into an era when there will be a far greater multiplicity of varieties in support of the old favourites.

After all, English-grown Delbar Estival, Tentation and Cameo have caught the attention of the multiples and Jazz, Greenstar and Kansi are very much in the pipeline. And the National Fruit Show this year can be expected to exhibit even more.

Expertise and enthusiasm may already exist within the industry, but what is crucial is that enthusiasm remains.