Fruit

As UK growers increasingly look for alternatives to conventional fertilisers, deputy editor Sarah Kidby spoke to Jason Colin of Natura Grow, to learn about a unique plant-based fertiliser that is gaining traction on vineyards and orchards in the UK.

The primary purpose of the Growing Kent & Medway (GK&M) programme is to support the plant-based food, drink and horticultural industries in the region, helping them to grow and thrive in the area.

Lidl bought over 3,000 tonnes of new season British apples in October, while Tesco fell short of its 2022 performance, according to sales figures from British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL).

Two new funding streams are being made available by Growing Kent & Medway to back sustainable innovation and new technologies in the horticultural and plant-based food and drink sector.

The Crop Candle Company is proud to announce a significant milestone in its history. Fruit & Vine spoke with the company about its new Crop Candles and eight-hour refills now being manufactured in the UK, which result in much lower carbon emissions.

A new partnership between The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) and Growing Kent & Medway hopes to entice a new generation into a career in horticultural food and drink production.

Simon Bray’s Jazz apples, grown in Kent, once again scooped the tastiest apple title at this year’s National Fruit Show.

Hutchinsons agronomist Nigel Kitney has been recognised for his outstanding lifetime contribution to the fruit sector at this year’s National Fruit Show.

As the UK horticulture sector continues to face significant challenges, from soaring production costs to a lack of certainty over future workforce availability, the NFU has welcomed many of the House of Lords’ recommendations to the government to help overcome barriers and grow the sector.

Growing Kent & Medway has awarded a share of over £1.6M to 13 businesses to fund projects that will sustainably transform the horticultural and plant-based food and drink supply chain.

Growers are being reminded to review farm insurance policies amid a much-improved crop for top fruit this season, alongside an expected increase in value.

British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL), the UK top fruit grower association, has named Aldi as its 2023 apple retailer of the year.