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THE FRUITGROWER IS PUBLISHED BY
Theremay be progresswith theBrexit talks byChristmas, leading to a shift in
emphasis to the trade negotiations; but whatever is decided, the role of our industry in
maintaining an uninterrupted food supplywill be vital. In his comment thismonth
AndrewTinsley goes all festive togive us a thought-provoking list of a dozen thingswe
couldbenefit from. There ismuch tobe positive about in this issue, with news of more
investment in packing and storage facilities, soft fruit research projectsworking
towards solvinggrowers’ problems and new chemistry helpingwith disease control in
strawberries.
The content of this year’s EMRA/AHDBSoft Fruit Day rangedover a host of topics
relevant to soft fruit production fromScotland toKent. The quality of the researchwas
impressive, and a number of attendees thought it was remarkable that we still have
such an in-depth research programmeworking for our industry, in the light of themany
cuts inR&D fundingover the years. Progresswith breeding varieties that have built-in
disease resistance is being speeded up, with the assistance of marker genes. This
technology is also helpingbreeders to select candidate varietieswith excellent
characteristics for eatingquality and yield, so that we have some very exciting
strawberry and raspberry varieties in the pipeline. 20 years ago, we could not have
dreamed of such an embarrassment of riches.
Confidence in the future is evident in a report by JohnGuest from the recent opening
by the local MP of a new extension to the storage andpacking complex at Bardsley
Farms at Staplehurst, Kent. This is a great example of a family businesswhere the next
generation is taking on new challenges. BenBardsley gives his thoughts on using
robotics in the packhouse to reduce the requirement for labour. Thiswill not impact on
the number of peopleworking in the business, but it will reduce their reliance on
unskilled labour, increasing the amount of semi-skilled and skilled labour.
Rachel Anderson reports on a pioneering group of growerswho are running on-farm
trials to look at ways inwhich the health and fertility of their farms’ soil can be
improved. Largely, they’re seeking to improve cropquality by using various soil
amendments – some traditional and some, such as pomace, a little quirky.
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ISSN 0953-2188
Although every effort ismade to ensure the accuracy and reliability ofmaterial published, the
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CO N T E N T S
News
Page 4
BerryWorldmerger
Page 5
Soloberry
Page 7
Glyphosate
decision
Page 8
Vintage harvest
Page 9
Bardsley Farms
Page10
Orchard soil
health
Page 13
EMRA/AHDB
Soft Fruit Day
Page16
Luna Sensation
Page22
Comment
Page 25
Research Briefing Page26
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