‘Momentum growing' in UK plum industry with bumper crop, says Kent grower
Plum production in the UK hit its peak in 1987 with 28,900 tonnes being produced that year, according to Defra figures.
Due to lower yields and cheaper imports, the industry then declined, hitting its lowest point in 2008 with total production of just 2,500 tonnes.
Since then, growers have adjusted to finding new plum varieties and modern farming systems, and the production this summer is set to be the biggest in three years, according to fruit grower WB Chambers, based in Maidstone, Kent.
Its commercial director James Miller said: 'The UK plum industry has now started to pull out of a decades-long decline and the quality of the fruit coming through right now, and the yield, is the best we've seen for ages.
'There is a real momentum growing within the plum industry again.'
The UK's plum production area fell from 2,400 hectares in 1985 to 800 hectares in 2017 as growers turned to fruits with higher profitability.
Mr Miller added: 'As cheaper imports flooded the market and plum production became less profitable, interest in growing the fruit dwindled.
'But we have now invested in new root stocks as well as modern farming systems such as automatic minimal irrigation and soil moisture analysis.'
WB Chambers said the new varieties as well as this year's perfect growing conditions means it has doubled its production from 150 tonnes in 2024 to 300 tonnes this summer.
Tesco fruit category buying manager Simon Reeves said: 'We are hearing similar reports from all our growers and main plum supplier that this has been the best harvest for about three years.
'The quality of the British-grown plums arriving at our stores across the UK right now is easily the best we've seen for several years – plump, juicy and sweet.'
The grower also said new varieties of plum have a better shelf life that will help cut down on wastage.
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