Rhubarb growers ‘losing millions’

Janet Oldroyd, who farms in Yorkshire’s famous Rhubarb Triangle, said she expects her business to loose £1m over three years as a result of the dry conditions.

It follows yesterday’s revelation that the region’s farmers are set to lose millions of pounds following the cold winter and dry spring, Mrs Oldroyd said that conditions were as bad as she had seen in her lifetime.

“I have great sympathy with the plight of growers,” she said.

“This plant is what we are famous for, it has always put Yorkshire on the map as a place to grow.

“The losses are projected forward. We are lucky so far in that we seem to have understanding bank managers and customers. It is the worst conditions in my memory.”

Just a few short months ago, Yorkshire’s rhubarb growers were looking to be in a sterling position.

The distinctive red crop from the so-called Rhubarb Triangle, which is situated in West Yorkshire between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell, was awarded Protected Designation of Origin status by the European Union. The award meant that Yorkshire rhubarb was afforded the same rights and status as Champagne and Parma ham.

Mrs Oldroyd claimed that she and her fellow growers felt like they were just starting to get somewhere.

She had even fielded calls from Poland in recent weeks, with growers in Eastern Europe interested in taking some of the crop.

She said: “We were told to grow as much of the crop as we could. Supermarkets are listening to consumers in the respect that they are all doing local produce in local stores.

“We have had good support from supermarkets, certainly with the rhubarb crops. But we have had two of the worst seasons possible.

“Over the winter, the crops were not too much of a problem. The roots did get frozen in the ground but we did not see that as too bad a thing.

“In terms of total losses to our crops we are looking at 40 per cent, and on forced crops up to 50 per cent.”

Mrs Oldroyd, the fifth generation of her family to grow rhubarb in the Rhubarb Triangle, said that the increase in fertilizer use had made things very tough.

The president of the National Farmers’ Union, Peter Kendall, whose organisation produced the report into the weather’s effect on Yorkshire crop yields, claimed it was further evidence of the need for Government to produce a national food strategy.

“We need to create an environment in which our farmers feel they can invest. The UK’s population was recently estimated to be set to reach 70m by 2036. That means there will be another 8m to feed.

“We need to make sure that the UK is strong enough to open up new markets here, rather than just shutting it all down and sending it overseas.”

Mr Kendall also told journalists that it was a scandal that Britain found itself in last place within the European Union in terms of the price that it pays farmers for milk.

“It is outrageous that despite 62m consumers and such a huge market for milk that we find ourselves the lowest of all member states.

“There has been some price increases, but not enough.”

He added that the Groceries Ombudsman needed to be appointed quickly to investigate any abuses of the system.