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THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • JULY 2017
to helpdevelopbiomass boilers on the site. UKSalads
alsohas gas boilers toheat the nursery but they are only
usedwhenCO2 is needed. Thebiomass boilers, which
is themain source of heat on the site, not only provides
green energy but alsowithpayments as part of the
Government’sRenewableHeat Incentive scheme.
The company hasmade its aim to keepon searching for
ways to not only grow crops in away that delivers better
quality andmore efficiency but also amore sustainable
way. “It is somethingwe haveworkedhardon,” he says.
“We are hardly spraying at all now and that is something
we areproudof. Our policy is tousebiological control
wherepossible todeal with any issues andwewill only
spray if all other options havebeen exhausted. Last
year’s cropof pepperswere grownwithout any spray
applications at all,” he explains. “The glasshouse sector
hasmade great strides in this area in recent years-we
shouldbeproud.”
UKSaladswas set up in 1992byGiovanni (John) Abella
whowas born inSicily in 1934 and from an early age
workedon his father’s landgrowing vegetables for fun.
Aftermoving toEngland in the late 1950s heworked
in another industry until 1968, when he approached a
semi-retired nursery owner with anoffer to rent four of his
glasshouses. From that day he spent any spare time he
hadperfecting the art of growing cucumbers, which at the
timewere grownon strawbales, covered inmanure and
eachplant had tobe fedby hand.Within two years he
hadbought tenglasshouses and continuedhis passion. In
1992, UKSaladswas formedby John andhiswifeRosa
with their daughters andhusbands becomingdirectors of
the new company. UKSalads became a limited company
in 2004but the family run it with the same values they did
all those year’s ago even thoughgrowing techniques and
glasshouses have advanced significantly.
Today, UKSalads face the same challenges as any
company growingunder glass. “Our biggest challenge
at themoment by far is labour. Labour is amassive
problem for everyone in the industry anduntil there is a
clear direction fromgovernment as towhat will happen in
the future, therewill be a lot of uncertainty in the sector,”
saysMrMillazo. He is calling for the government to
reintroduce aSAWS type schemewithmore flexibility.
“We understand there has tobe certain rules but we need
that certainty that wewill be able toget the labour we
need toget the jobdone. I think after Brexit wewill need a
more flexible scheme that offers choices for growers,”
he adds.
MrMillazo alsowantsmore tobedone about the
complex andunfair planning laws,making it harder and
harder for glasshouse growers toget planningpermission
for newglass and even accommodationunits for staff.
“All wewant todo is tobe able toproducemore to satisfy
thepublicdemand for UKgrownproducebut the system
makes it very hard todo so at times,” he says.
GROWER VISIT •
For food. For owers. For sure.
Completegreenhouseengineering
Thecompany hasmade its aim tokeepon searching for
ways tonot onlygrowcrops inaway that deliversbetter
quality andmoreefficiencybut alsoamore
sustainableway.
