The strawberry harvest started at Blacketyside in Fife, Scotland in mid-April from the heated tunnels and the production was expected to move to the unheated tunnels shortly after (early to Mid May), but due unseasonably low temperatures berries from these tunnels will have to wait a bit longer.
Strawberries in heated tunnels
“At the moment we have small volumes from the heated tunnels which supply our farm shop and local grocers,” said Andrew Todd, Fruit Manager at Blacketyside. “The slow start to the main strawberry harvest seems to be country-wide with growers in England also running late. The fear is that we have nothing now, then as soon as we get a bit of sunshine the market will be flooded and will be a challenge to get it all sold. Normally we would see a natural progression from the English to the Scottish fruit, but I think it will all come at once this year.”
Andrew said that he would like to have more heated tunnels to increase production at the start of the season, but it is too expensive to install them at the moment. The early berries get a good price in the farm shop and the local grocers, but it is off set against the cost of heating the tunnels.
Andrew Todd
Production has been steadily increasing at Blacketyside over the years and now produces around 2000 tonnes of strawberries on 120 acres, 10 ha, 220 tonnes of raspberries, 50 tonnes of blueberries and 40 tonnes of blackberries and cherries. As well as selling direct to Aldi Andrew works together with a couple grower organisations.
Tunnels as far as the eye can see
“We see the benefit of being involved in the grower’s groups where collective volume is offered to the retailers but with a focus on regionalised supply in the main. Scottish fruit for Scottish stores. The industry saw a drop in demand last year, the first after many years of increased demand, this may have been down to it being the first year since lockdowns that people could travel without restrictions. This year we face increasing costs and consumers are dealing with the cost-of-living crisis, so it is difficult to predict how demand will be. As an industry we are very well organised and efficient, but the prices we get for our produce are not much more than we were getting 20 years ago.
“Last year was very challenging, we had a very hot summer (which affected September volume) and if it hadn’t been for the mild Autumn producing a nice flush at the end of the season it would have been much worse. We are already seeing growers drop out, this is due to a number of reasons, but most can’t sustain losses for more than a couple of years. That said, in this business you have remain positive and passionate about what you do.”
Raspberries
Early raspberry tunnels will start early June, some of the raspberry crop is being purposefully delayed to hope to achieve a start date 10th July as to not clash with the early tunnels.
"Trying to achieve continuity of supply but always matching supply with demand is very tricky especially as we are at the mercy of the Scottish weather!"
Blackberries in flower
Andrew has changed from traditional blackberry varieties to new, sweeter ones such as Sweet Royalla as this is what consumers want.
“We also have some blueberries, to compliment the other fruit but we didn’t go in too big, which I am glad about.”
Blueberries
Cherries are in full blossom at the moment, Andrew grows four different varieties, Sweetheart, Staccato, Regina and Kordia. The Kordia variety will be ready in mid-July. Two years ago there was a big frost which was not good for the cherry crop, and last year wasn’t great either, but Andrew said that it’s good to diversify.
Cherries in full blossom
"The cherries always look fantastic when in blossom but I am always happier when the fruit is set then you have a more accurate reflection of the crop to come."
For more information:
Andrew Todd
Blacketyside
blacketysidefruits@gmail.com