Monday 2nd October 2023 will mark the start of the new British apple season and UK growers say that while it may not be a bumper crop, the taste and flavour of the new season fruit is excellent.

With commercial vineyards increasingly turning to automation solutions to cut labour costs, the innovative Vitipulse Combi offers growers increased flexibility and efficiency when it comes to canopy management by combining two defoliation technologies.

Initially a couple’s retirement dream, White Castle Vineyard has become much more than that. Through years of dedicated work, owners Robb and Nicola Merchant have converted what was once a run-down dairy farm into a thriving enterprise that is now at the forefront of Welsh wine production, renowned for crafting quality wines with care and sustainability.

Anne Jones has been appointed in new and first sustainability advisory role at WineGB to bring commercial awareness of national and international sustainability regulations, schemes, and practices to the association for the English and Welsh wine industry.

Challenger wonky and surplus food brand Earth & Wheat has declared ‘war on fruit waste’ and entered the market with a new Variety Fruit Box.

The government’s biggest revamp of the alcohol duty system in 150 years will see drinks taxed by alcohol volume (abv) going forward, with some wines and spirits facing eye-watering increases while drinks under 3.5% abv are set to benefit from relief.

Showcasing the finest wines produced in East Anglia, the Wine GB East Awards will take place on 19th August at Burnt House Vineyard, Little Finborough, Stowmarket.

The berry industry has for the first time taken the unprecedented step of calling out retailers who don’t support British berries amidst huge concerns over the viability of the industry with an 8% drop in crops forecast for 2024 as retailers squeeze growers on price.

Kubota has introduced new M5-002N-series narrow tractors with updated features which are certain to increase appeal for specialist fruit growing and vineyard applications. F&V machinery editor, David Williams, enjoyed an exclusive test-drive of the first of the new models to come to the UK.

TV presenter and celebrity farmer Jeremy Clarkson has warned that some of his Hawkstone cider bottles could explode and told customers to open affected bottles under water and pour the cider away.

NIAB is hosting a ‘Vine and Wine Discovery Day’ at its East Malling site in Kent, exclusively for UK grape growers and winemakers.

As we race towards flowering and fruit set, inflorescences (bunches) develop and become more visible. This provides an opportunity to make an assessment on the potential for this year’s harvest, explains VineWorks business director and head of vineyard services, Chris Buckley.