An abundance of winter vegetables can be found in fields across the UK and production has risen in recent years, satisfying demand both in the domestic and export arenas.
But over the past 12 months sales have stagnated somewhat, with a slight value increase of 1.6 per cent - the result of price increases - tempered by the fact that volumes have remained the same [Kantar Worldpanel, 52 w/e 3 October].
Producers are optimistic that the new season will see stronger sales, with a range of innovation and promotion across the category.
Staffordshire-based parsnip producer R&RW Bartlett has rebranded its parsnips to Staffordshire Gold and is “very optimistic” about demand. “We’ve had superb growing conditions this year and are producing good quality crops,” says joint managing director Rob Bartlett.
The producer began covering parsnips with straw in early November and is also trialling three to four new varieties on its 750 acres of production.
Roger Vickers, product manager for parsnips and celery at Tozer Seeds, reports that his team is also increasing its trials on parsnip varieties this year and long-standing goals for the company include providing resistances to root canker, reducing susceptibility to bruising, producing ever whiter skin colour and reducing speed of discolouration post harvest.
Albion F1 is Tozer Seeds’ latest parsnip hybrid and according to Vickers, this variety has a good white skin, regular shape and smooth surface.
But it is Javelin, the company’s F1 Hybrid, that is the best seller. “In terms of flexibility, reliability and storability in the ground, Javelin is so very hard to beat,” Vickers explains.
The carrot sector has also seen a fair amount of innovation, and British Carrot Growers’ Association chairman Martin Evans predicts that demand will become stronger in the coming weeks as the weather cools. He forecasts good prospects and reports good quality carrots, though yields may be mixed. “This has been the fourth summer of pretty low light levels but having said that, 2010 was the best out of the four years, which has helped the sugar levels for carrots,” Evans explains.
The Eskimo variety could also see greater interest in the coming months, partly due to the rising costs of straw. According to sources, straw costs have risen by 30-40 per cent this year and Nickerson Zwaan, the distributor of Eskimo, says this variety can withstand frost longer than other varieties and therefore frost protection isn’t needed as quickly.
Elsewhere, the mild weather and high rainfall levels is bringing some brassica crops on earlier than in previous seasons. Cauliflower is running 10 days ahead of last season and quality is good, says Phillip Effingham, chairman of the Brassica Growers’ Association (BGA). However, the downside could mean supply issues towards the end of November and early December.
Brussels sprouts are growing well though the mild weather has also brought on some crops early. There have been a few quality issues because of the weather, however these are being rectified, says Effingham. Sources are looking towards the December activities as some 60 per cent of the Brussels sprouts consumed in the UK are harvested in the two weeks before Christmas.
Cornwall is a staple supplier of brassicas from November to April and this winter’s crops were planted on time and in great conditions, according to Southern England Farms’ technical director Alasdair MacLennan. “This is a vast improvement on the previous two years when rain delayed plantings for weeks on end,” he adds.
Since planting, weather conditions have been favourable and the South West has enjoyed an Indian summer. As a result, crops have responded well and performed to order, barring a couple of light frosts causing short-term blips in supply in October.
The transition from summer cauliflower via autumn varieties and into winter crops has been smooth and quality in general is reported good. Calabrese crops from Cornwall are likely to run to the last week of November.
Some suppliers have planted crops further afield in the UK as they try to hedge their supply options following the previous two miserable winters, says MacLennan, adding that volumes, demand and prices will be dictated by the weather over the next three months.
However, Effingham has high hopes that the Love Your Greens campaign could boost brassica consumption. “The campaign is about reaching out to consumer groups such as the under-35s and showing them what versatile ingredients brassicas are and all of the different ways to cook them,” he explains.
But even though many growers are positive about the forthcoming crops, early forecasts point to small and thin post-Christmas leeks.
This follows a difficult spring and poor growing conditions through the back end of the summer, which may result in less plentiful supplies, according to the Leek Growers’ Association (LGA).
Overall, demand has been described as “fairly static”. However, the LGA says that given the economic environment, this could be considered a positive. “If you look at other similarly priced or premium products, many have seen significant drops in demand so we consider leeks to have weathered the storm well so far,” says the association.
A number of developments are ongoing in the leek sector, including life-extending packaging and new methods of printing that enable better and more detailed on-pack information. New varieties are constantly being developed and breeders are concentrating on colour, handling and shelf life.
The LGA will once again run a promotional PR campaign during the main growing season. Working with celebrity chef Rob Rees, many new recipes that demonstrate the uses and versatility of leeks have been created. Meanwhile, the website - www.british-leeks.co.uk - has been updated and there’s also a leek lovers Facebook fan page, a Twitter page and a forthcoming leek growers’ blog.
In terms of imports, Martijn van den Burg, vegetable specialist for QPI, says that UK demand for Dutch winter vegetables is stable, but it’s more a case of filling the supply gaps. “The UK is normally self-sufficient on a wide range of winter vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, leeks and carrots but when weather problems such as flooding or frosts cause harvesting problems, that’s when we step in,” he says.
Indeed, van den Burg says that this flexibility and the Netherlands’ close geographical location to the UK gives it a prime advantage to supply when there is an urgent need.
“Deliveries can be there within 12 hours after harvest,” explains van den Burg. “Due to the flexibility of our growers, we can easily change the production lines and start harvesting for the UK.”
However, the UK is not a major market for Dutch winter vegetable supplies and larger volumes are shipped to Italy, France, Germany and Scandinavia. When questioned whether there was room to increase regular supplies to the UK, van den Burg argued that the prices offered for fixed programmes are usually insufficient for Dutch growers.
In addition, the UK has been exporting more of its winter vegetable production in recent years.
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