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Hunter Cutting

Bumper crop trend continues for warm weather fruit in Kent, England - 0 views

www.kentnews.co.uk/...rtunites--newsinkent38035.aspx

climate change impact agriculture England UK Kent cherries grapes vinyards nectarines temperature

shared by Hunter Cutting on 25 Jul 10 - Cached
  • KENT NEWS
  • While some producers are celebrating bumper crops courtesy of the early summer heatwave, others are advising producers look to embrace more exotic crops for long-term prosperity. Cherries are among this year’s big hits while wine producers are also raising a glass to the ideal conditions for their grapes. Although, ironically, it has proven too hot for some summer classics. Meanwhile, fruits traditionally associated with warmer parts of Europe – such as apricots, nectarines, and corn on the cob – are already being grown successfully here. There are even some variations on Kentish classics which are now blossoming. Apple varieties such as braeburn apples, which never used to survive in the UK, are already pushing out more traditional types. And scientists say it is all down to the effects of climate change.
  • Cheryl Martin, of Martin’s Organic Fruit Farm in Marden, said it had been a good year for cherries. “This year has been better than last year because we had all these long, hot days,” she said. She said the only problem to hit crops was the recent heavy downpours, which can cause ‘splitting’ on the cherries. Her farm sells produce wholesale to places including Choice Organic in London and Seasons in Forest Row. Biddenden Vineyards owner Julian Barnes said: “This year has been absolutely fantastic for us so far.” He said the warm, dry weather during flowering season meant that there were lots of grapes on the vines. The sun also creates more alcohol and of a better quality.
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  • The vineyard also escaped the effects of the long, cold winter, he said: “We’ve been very lucky in this corner of the country. With the frosts in April and early May we got down to minus two very close to the buds being frosted off the vines. But not quite.” Now, Mr Barnes said he was hoping the weather stayed dry for the harvest at the end of September. Apples growers have also enjoyed the hot, sunny weather, but said the recent downpours were welcome. Sarah Calcutt, business development manager at Norman Collett, which markets English fruit from its base in Paddock Wood, said the extra light and warmth had been great for Rubens, a new variety of apples. “I’ve been out looking at orchards today with the National Fruit Show president and we’ve been particularly looking at Rubens. “We do not know if it will be a bumper crop yet because they won’t be picked until to September, but from an apple’s perspective the heat and sunshine in particular are great. “Photosynthesis is better with good light because it seeds the tree really well and gives it good energy for feeding themselves next year. A lot of day light hours are wonderful. “We’ve just had rain in time. One of the farmers who has no irrigation system said this bit we’ve just had came just in time for his young trees, which were starting to look a bit stressed. So the recent downpours have been fantastic.” However, organic fruit farmer Mrs Martin said that it had been a bad year for some fruits. “Raspberries are not looking very good this year. It was too hot for them and they were cooking on the plants,” she said. “But a little rain does everything good.” Dr Chris Atkinson, head of science at East Malling Research Centre, which has been collecting climate data since 1913, said the climate was a big determinate when growing fruit because temperature and rainfall had a big impact on crops. The climate data shows that the seasons have been getting longer and the winters are getting milder. “We can even answer sceptics about climate change – no one can argue that climatic data shows it is changing,” he said.
  • The centre has recorded increasingly milder winters and longer seasons. Dr Atkinson said the changing temperature should be used as an opportunity to explore new crops and spoke about someone who had successfully grown a banana outside in Cornwall.
  • “Apricots and nectarines on a commercial scale we believe will achieve economic gain in the UK rather than just surviving.” The centre is currently trialling hardy kiwis to see whether they can be grown as a crop.
  • Speaking about his own cherry trees in his garden, he said that this year they had produced more fruit than over the last 15.
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