Understand
Worcestershire strawberry farmer warns supermarkets are failing to buy British fruit as climate change extends the growing season
Overview
Bal Padda, owner of Vicarage Nurseries in Bretforton, Worcestershire, says that hotter summers are extending the UK strawberry growing season into December, but supermarkets are failing to buy the fruit due to assumptions that the season has ended and a reliance on foreign imports. Padda is urging retailers to collaborate with growers to purchase surplus produce for secondary uses such as jam and smoothies to reduce food waste.
Key points
- Bal Padda, owner of the 150-acre Vicarage Nurseries in Worcestershire, states that changing climate and longer summers are extending the strawberry growing season.
- The farm has at least eight weeks of harvesting left potentially reaching into December, but operations are slowing down due to falling demand.
- Padda reports that supermarkets are prematurely importing foreign strawberries under the assumption that the UK season has finished.
- The farmer is calling on supermarkets to pay a fair price for surplus strawberries to supply jam makers and smoothie companies, thereby reducing waste.