One of the country's foremost fruit growers is to quit in protest at poor supermarket returns.
Robert Mitchell Partnerships, which supplies Egremont Russet and Bramley as well as Conference pears to retailers, will cease trading once the next crop is sold. The Mitchell Partnership currently produces 200ha of crops in Kent, but Ian Mitchell, a former chairman of the Bramley apple campaign, said it was no longer profitable to supply mainstream markets. "We found trading with supermarkets did not cover the cost of production," he said.
He would look at producing niche crops, while his brother Robert would continue to grow fruit but focus on the processing market, he added. Prices at both retail and wholesale level have fallen in the past year, with the cheapest apples in the big four down 16.5% [GPI] and the wholesale price of Bramleys down 14% [Defra].
Robert Mitchell Partnerships, which supplies Egremont Russet and Bramley as well as Conference pears to retailers, will cease trading once the next crop is sold. The Mitchell Partnership currently produces 200ha of crops in Kent, but Ian Mitchell, a former chairman of the Bramley apple campaign, said it was no longer profitable to supply mainstream markets. "We found trading with supermarkets did not cover the cost of production," he said.
He would look at producing niche crops, while his brother Robert would continue to grow fruit but focus on the processing market, he added. Prices at both retail and wholesale level have fallen in the past year, with the cheapest apples in the big four down 16.5% [GPI] and the wholesale price of Bramleys down 14% [Defra].
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