An intensively planted orchard in Evesham is set to boost UK organic top-fruit production following a £1.3 million investment in new, disease-resistant varieties.
Three years ago, Organic Farm Foods (OFF), based in Honeybourne, invested £1.3m into pioneering new organic orchards to produce the largest and most modern production blocks in the UK.
By selecting three new continental apple varieties and one pear, which have proved to be resilient to traditional apple diseases such as scab, mildew and sooty blotch, OFF’s organic yield is predicted to be around 32 tonnes of Class I fruit per hectare in its initial season with the potential to reach as much as 1,000t annually when all the organic orchards are fully mature.
The one-year-old trees were intensively planted at 3,000 per hectare on specially selected virgin soil sites near Ledbury. Following the most advanced and proven culture practice, trees are supported using wire work and automatically irrigated.
There are 17 hectares at Mainstone Farm and 16ha at nearby Rudford Farm, where the first commercial harvest will take place during September and October.
Adam Wakeley, joint managing director of OFF, expects some 500t of apples to be available this autumn moving to in excess of 1,000t in 2010.
He said: “Historically, traditional English varieties have fallen away dramatically when converted to organic. The conventional crop yield can be as high as 40t-plus per hectare, but can reduce to as little as 5t after conversion, making organic production in the UK unattractive. Orchards are also highly susceptible to pests and disease.”
The first fruit to hit shelves will be the bicoloured Santana in September or October. It is followed by Red Topaz, bred in the Czech Republic, which will be sold in November and December. Modi, which can be a later stored variety that has proven itself in Italy, then extends OFF’s organic season from December until March.
There are also 10ha of a new semi-melting green organic pear called Xenia, similar to a Conference, of which OFF has exclusivity in the UK.
Wakely defended the decision to invest in organic when its popularity has shown signs of waning recently. He said: “While there are reports that demand for organic fruit has dipped due to the economic climate, our experience is that this has only been selective. There still remains a strong following for organics. Health remains firmly on the table.
“Our multiple customers are keen to stock more British apples and pears wherever possible. Currently, UK availability is very restricted with limited volumes up to December of variable quality. These new orchards will deliver good eating and good-quality fruit to UK consumers throughout the UK season, which has not previously been achieved. This also comes at a time when food miles and local production is high on the agenda.”
The farms are fully managed by a new specialist organic farming operation, Organic Green Orchards Ltd.
