The first commercial crop of sweetcorn to be grown in Yorkshire has been harvested for Morrisons.
The award-winning Greyfriars claimed harvesting from its 20 acre site represents the first time sweetcorn, for human consumption, has been grown so far north.
Sweetcorn is more commonly grown in warmer climates, but the company said it pioneered the Yorkshire production through extensive trials last year, which proved the crop’s ability to thrive in the colder northern weather conditions.
Charlie Merson, Greyfriars’ operations director, said: “We were concerned that growing the crop this far north might compromise sweetness levels, however, it surpasses all taste specifications.”
The company now believes sweetcorn has the potential for regional diversification, providing opportunities for farmers.
Merson said: “Agriculture and horticulture have to change to survive and, even without subsidy, sweetcorn offers margins in excess of traditional cereal crops.”
Grower Richard Hunter added: “There is a definite window of opportunity between the last frosts of spring and the first of autumn when you are this far north.”
Greyfriars anticipates it will be growing between 300-400 acres of Yorkshire sweetcorn within a couple of years in response to increasing demand from Morrisons for quality locally-produced vegetables.
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