NEWS
Organic farming is on the up
OF&G (Organic Farmers & Growers) has welcomed the news from DEFRA that land going through the two-year conversion period to organic is up 34% in 2021, compared to 2020; but asserts that the opportunity is even greater. “I’m not surprised by the news,” said CEO Roger Kerr. “There is strong appetite from farmers to shift to more agroecological practices and the opportunity for organic and the premium gained for certified produce is clearly attractive.” But he notes that the 34% figure quoted by DEFRA, is from a relatively low area of in-conversion land. “We must remember that the organically farmed area in the UK is still less than 3%, compared to the EU at over 9%. All the same, it’s incredibly positive given the challenges of the last few years” he said. He added that he is quietly confident for the future uplift in the
organically farmed area. “The latest figures from DEFRA don’t consider the big economic shocks of the past year. Add to that, the fact that farming is in a period of unprecedented change and the upshot is that we are seeing a bigger interest than ever in ‘de-risking’ farming businesses. The Ukraine conflict has illustrated the volatility of input cost and reducing or removing artificial inputs entirely is being seriously considered by a lot of farmers.” Roger also pointed to a growing demand for organic produce. “Consumer spending on organic is up, hitting around £3 billion for the first time. “While we have to be mindful of the cost-of-living crisis, core organic consumers are proven to be resilient and with an increasing focus on the environment, market opportunities are opening up,” he said. “The EU has set a goal for 25% of the land area to be organic by 2030. That will be accompanied by heavy investment in promoting the sector and represents a strong near-market opportunity for UK growers.”
New £11.3m horticulture research centre opens in Kent
8
The £11.3 million GreenTech Hub for Advanced Horticulture was opened by Tom Tugendhat MP at NIAB’s East Malling site. The hub will provide the UK horticulture and viticulture industry with access to a new state-of-the-art research facility. It includes 2,000m² of specialist glasshouses, 14 modern polytunnels, growth rooms and cold rooms. Professor Mario Caccamo, NIAB CEO, said: “The site at East Malling has a long history of delivering exceptional research to advance horticultural production. As the sector makes significant progress in areas such as robotics and intelligent growing systems, these fantastic new facilities mean we can continue to provide cutting-edge research that reflects the technology being used by commercial growers. “The Hub will also enable our research teams to advance their work in important areas such as plant genetics, pest and disease control, crop management and our world-renowned fruit breeding programmes.” The research facility is expected to generate more than £600,000 in additional research and development investment per annum, as well as create new highly-skilled jobs in the region. Tom Tugendhat said: “Kent has a deserved reputation as the Garden of England, being home to many of the leading fruit growers and wine producers in the UK. The GreenTech Hub for Advanced Horticulture will help strengthen our region’s reputation for innovative, sustainable food and drink production. In addition, it will support economic development in the area by bringing in new investment and creating jobs.” Trials at the research centre will focus on creating sustainable growing systems to help make UK food production more resilient to climate change. NIAB’s leading research experts will help businesses to use resources, like water, more efficiently, as well as cut carbon emissions in their production. The project has been funded by UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund (£2.5 million), SELEP’s Local Growth Fund (£2.1 million) with matched funding from the East Malling Trust (£6.7 million).
J U LY 2 0 2 2 | V I N E YA R D
> From left to right: NIAB Glasshouse Manager Emma Easton, NIAB Board chair Jim Godfrey, East Malling Trust chair Oliver Doubleday, Tom Tugendhat MP, Growing Kent & Medway Dr Nicola Harrison and NIAB CEO Professor Mario Caccamo
