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THE SOFT FRUIT INDUSTRY IN ENGLAND 



Wi 1 1 iam J . Rraml age 

 Department of Plant and Soil Sciences 



The soft fruit industry in England is under continual pressure from 

 European countries, but the intensity of this pressure varies with relative 

 values of currencies. When the value of the English pound sterling is low, 

 imports from Europe decline, but when the pound's value is high European 

 soft fruit--both fresh and processed--can quickly flood the market. 

 Therefore, fortunes of the industry can fluctuate dramatically for reasons 

 completely beyond the control of the fruit growers. 



Table 1 shows the estimated size of the soft fruit industry in the 

 United Kingdom in 1980, which is fairly typical of recent years. Most of 

 this production is in England except for that of raspberries, where two- 

 thirds of the crop is grown in Scotland. Approximately 60% of the 

 strawberries are grown for fresh market, and 40% for processing. In 

 contrast 30% of the raspberries are grown for processing and virtually all 

 of the blackcurrants, gooseberries, blackberries, loganberries, and currants 

 are processed . 



Table 1. Approximate total production areas and yields of soft fruits in 

 the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland). 1980. 



These fruit are all expensive to establish and to grow. Their produc- 

 tion problems can be summarized as ones of obtaining good sites, using 

 healthy plant material, and rigorously controlling weeds, insects, and 

 diseases. Plant material is provided through a system similar to that 

 described for apples ( Fruit Notes 50(1) :l-5) . 



The biggest cost, however, is in harvesting and marketing. An effi- 

 cient machine harvester has been developed for blackcurrants, but its cost 

 is quite high. The other soft fruits are predominantly hand harvested by 

 local labor. PYO has become very popular for soft fruits, but a good PYO 

 business requires careful organization and management, and provisions for 

 parking, toilets, and picnic areas. 



