Nothing Stops the Rot Like New Luna Sensation
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FRUIT MAY 2017.qxp_Layout 1 05/05/2017 11:02 Page 1 THE FRUIT May 2017 GROWER Nothing stops the rot like new Luna Sensation. You want to prevent powdery mildew from robbing yield potential. And you need to protect your valuable crop from 654321024/.2-2.,+2*0+2+)610(23456*(.' That’s why, for more marketable strawberries, there’s new Luna Sensation. A second-generation SDHI plus strobilurin fungicide, it controls not just powdery mildew but Botrytis and fruit rots, with a short harvest interval and built-in resistance management. Watch how Luna Sensation improves storage at Grow better fruit that lasts longer. Talk to your advisor, www.cropscience.bayer.co.uk/luna-video call us on 0808 1969522 and see www.cropscience.bayer.co.uk/luna-video. 2222 &654.%4.+2346*$#.661.3250,"2!10%,)+10(2 5,"4)00.,2)3.'2)0*2.03*41502%504*10322)5 "6*2*0+246125"3465#10'2)0*2132*26.(134.6.+26*+.2*6252*".6'23.2 ,*042 654.%41502 products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. For further 1056*41502 ,.*3.213142$$$'%65 3%1.0%.'#*".6'%5')2562%*,,2*".623313425022 '2 2*".6265 %1.0%.2114.+2 ' FRUIT MAY 2017.qxp_Layout 1 05/05/2017 11:02 Page 2 NEW! THE BRIGHT SOLUTION FOR GROWTH CONTROL Fast dissolution / User friendly granulate formulation Strong shoot length control Saves money by reducing summer pruning hours From the same producers of and Distributed by Agrii and Hutchinsons Manufactured by: Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. FINE AGROCHEMICALS LIMITED Kudos®, Novagib® and Exilis® are European Union [email protected] www.fine.eu registered trademarks of Fine Agrochemicals Ltd” KU/UK/0217/0683_0217 www.thefruitgrower.co.uk The fruiT Grower • MAY 2017 FRUIT MAY 2017.qxp_Layout 1 05/05/2017 11:02 Page 3 MAY 2017 • 3 oPiNioN C O N T E N T S It is too early to assess the extent of the damage that several days of frosts at the end of April have inflicted. For top fruit growers, the old adage says that frost is always less damaging than News Page 4 you think, but hail is always more damaging. For vine growers, it seems that whilst some of those who tried to keep the temperatures around their tender shoots above freezing might have Cuprokylt Page 6 succeeded for two nights, sadly an icy blast on the third night was too much to cope with. Woolly aphid Looking across the English Channel, it is likely that some fruit growing regions in Europe have been severely hit, which will have a knock-on effect for this season, but possibly longer term control Page 7 implications too. Horticultural To be cheered up, turn to the first report of the Under 40s Fruit Growers trip to South Africa that incomes Page 9 covers the visits made to soft fruit businesses. As all the young fruit growers came home brimming with ideas and enthusiasm, this biennial fruit industry institution still spreads its magic. Global Berry Another thought-provoking report for soft fruit growers comes from this year’s Global Berry Congress Page 11 Congress. The message from many of the speakers was that consumers have never been so demanding, and that discounters are evolving at a rapid pace. ‘Taste is king’ was another National Fruit Show important message and, despite increasing at an annual rate of 7-8%, the berry sector still offers AGM Page 15 plenty of opportunities for growth, and there will be more emphasis on locally-grown berries in future. Vineyard weed Plans for the next National Fruit Show are well in hand, and there is much else that this major fruit control Page 18 industry event can do, both before and after the Show, as Show President Michael Jack said, to engage, educate and enlarge. Amongst these activities, the Apple World Education programme Under 40s Fruit offers excellent fully subsidised primary school workshops that are integrated with the National Growers Page 20 Curriculum for 6 to 10-year-olds and tick all the Ofsted boxes. Bizarrely, the greatest challenge facing the programme is to contact the right decision-maker in a school to make them aware of Biostimulants Page 24 this fantastic free opportunity. If you have contacts with your local primary school please pass them on to Sarah Calcutt as, at present, they cannot recruit enough schools. Once a school has Research Briefing Page 26 had a visit, repeat bookings are assured. Leaf analysis Page 28 THE FRUIT GROWER IS PUBLISHED BY Storage technology Page 29 LION HOUSE, CHURCH STREET MAIDSTONE, KENT ME14 1EN TEL: 01622 695656 FAX: 01622 663733 e-mail: [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION RATES The Fruit Grower is a member of the independent Press Standards organisation that regulates the uK’s magazine and TWELVE ISSUES Inland UK £40 Air Mail:Europe/Eire £50 newspaper industry. we abide by the editors’ Code of Practice and Middle East/USA/Canada £60 – Far East/Australia/New Zealand £70 are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. if Printed by Hastings Printing Company you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint, please contact Chris Tanton, editor, at ISSN 0953-2188 [email protected] or telephone 01622 695656. if we are unable to Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and reliability of material published, the resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about publishers and their agents can accept no responsibility for claims and opinions iPSo or the editors’ Code, please contact iPSo on 0300 123 2220 expressed by contributors, manufacturers or advertisers. or visit www.ipso.co.uk. “ We deliver exactly what our customers expect.” Dorus Verhoeven, Legro sales Our substrate performs precisely how our customers expect it to. That’s because they are an integral part of fine-tuning the mixture. Another reason we’re successful is that we thoroughly wash and buffer the coco which is part of many mixtures. Moreover, we produce to order and our own laboratory analyses the quality of the raw materials and the finished product. Call me or one of my colleagues and tell us what you expect from your ideal substrate. [email protected] | +31 (0) 88 0081800 | www.legro.nl/uk The fruiT Grower • MAY 2017 www.thefruitgrower.co.uk FRUIT MAY 2017.qxp_Layout 1 05/05/2017 11:03 Page 4 F News F 4 Berry Gardens’ winning formula Berry Gardens Growers Limited held its 45th AGM at the predict that this will continue for the foreseeable future, as new, Mercure hotel, Maidstone, Kent on 27 April. better-eating varieties such as Driscoll’s™ elizabeth® and The company has again enjoyed a record year with turnover rosalie® increase production. The popularity of newer berries exceeding £300m for the first time, ending the year at £318.7m, such as sweet eating blackberries continues to grow unabated, an increase of over 14% year-on-year. giving customers a wider selection to choose from. in addition, “our continued success and double-digit growth illustrates that this year we expect to see the volume of British cherries our strategy of supplying the best varieties, underpinned by our substantially increase as the new plantings by several Berry co-operative structure, is a winning formula,” says Chairman Gardens growers over the last few years reach their maturity – Alastair Brooks. we are the only grower-owned berry and cherry following a colder and drier winter than last year the orchards have marketing group in the sector and this gives us the ability to react comfortably reached their chill hours and the signs are positive for swiftly in our dynamic market and maximise opportunities. As a a good cherry season.” co-operative, our policy is to return surpluses to our grower 2016 Kantar figures show that the total berry market was valued owners which enables them to invest in the most up-to-date at £1.18bn, representing an increase in value of 12.6% year-on- production techniques. our customers know that when they trade year; raspberries and blueberries experienced the highest value with Berry Gardens they are dealing directly with the growers and growth at 21% and 23.73% respectively. The number of overseas partners and have the confidence that we will deliver the households buying berries reached an all-time high of just under best quality produce.” 84%. Although strawberries are relatively mature, last year market The early winter months of 2016 enjoyed strong trading with penetration increased by 2% to just under 80% of British sales of imported and early British fruit racing ahead of last year. households buying strawberries on average 13.6 times. The berry As the year progressed, the uK enjoyed higher than average market continues to be the success story of the overall fruit sunshine hours that gave the home-grown season a good start. market and achieved value growth of just over 5%, with apples favourable weather conditions, particularly in August and and bananas losing value. Although uK cherry production overall September, coupled with growers’ continued focus on high quality was affected negatively by the weather in 2016, Berry Gardens fruit, resulted in a new high level of sales during the British season. increased its market share of British production by 15% to 65% - Alastair concluded, “The British public’s love of berries and in some weeks over the summer Berry Gardens’ share exceeded cherries continues to thrive and enjoy double-digit growth – we 80%.