“It has been quite a different season compared to last year,” stated Nick Marston, Managing Director of Berry Gardens Ltd, at Fruit Focus, the fruit industry’s main summer event held on Wednesday 21st July at East Malling Research, Kent.
He continued, “After a hard winter, the season started – on average – a week later. As a result we have sold 7% less strawberries to week ending 10th July than in 2009.”
According to Marion Regan, Chairman of Berry Gardens Growers Ltd and its marketing subsidiary, members have reduced their production area by a similar percentage. However, further expansion into more intensive cultivation techniques such as table-top strawberries should result in a similar volume being produced to 2009 by the end of this season.
The average direct sale price achieved by Berry Gardens over the same period has moved upward slightly, but the move by two large retailers into 400g pack weights this year compared to the 454g pack sold last year (a reduction of just under 12%) has increased supply chain unit costs resulting in deflation of the net return to growers.
Nick Marston reported that the number of packs sold was up on last year through June and early July but the move to a 400g pack weight has reduced the overall tonnage sold by some retailers. A combination of this, and increased production caused by the late season followed by very hot weather, created a level of oversupply across the industry over the last two weeks with the attendant need to wholesale fruit in considerably larger volumes than in 2009 – which will have further lowered the net average returns for growers.
On the positive side there has been great support from retailers for British strawberries with television advertising, newspaper adverts and magazines with recipes galore (including those from Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal), all of which helped to overcome the effect of the World Cup.
“I am also pleased to report further good news.” said Nick Marston, “The sale of premium lines has been resurgent. Retailer focus has returned and moved away from discount lines. Driscoll Jubilee has now established itself as “the” premium strawberry – and we now have 90% share of the market of premium strawberry sales.”
“Although there has been a further reduction in the area of Driscoll Jubilee grown year on year, our growers are now using more intensive production systems (substrates and production from tray plants) which produce more” said Marion Regan.
Nick Marston concurred. “Overall we expect to increase the amount of Driscoll Jubilee sold by c. 35% by the end of 2010 compared to last season,” he said.
For further details, please contact:
Managing Director - Nicholas Marston
Office telephone - 01892 838800
Mobile - 07831 268286
Email - nmarston@berrygardens.co.uk
Chairman - Marion Regan
Office telephone - 01622 812229
Mobile - 07850 295670
Email - marion.regan@hlf.co.uk |