Minister hails Irish soft-fruit progress
11 May 2012
Ireland's agriculture minister has praised the country's softfruit industry for its investment in production, which has grown almost threefold over the past decade, despite economic turmoil.
A former Sainsbury's buyer has pleaded guilty to corruption after accepting bribes in exchange for the securing of supply deals with potato supplier Greenvale.
Ireland's agriculture minister has praised the country's softfruit industry for its investment in production, which has grown almost threefold over the past decade, despite economic turmoil.
Latest Defra figures have confirmed the differing fortunes of Britain's fruit and vegetable growers, with fruit showing continuing strong returns while those from vegetables have slipped back.
'Celebrate with English Wine' promotion targets consumers ahead of the jubilee and Olympics.
Growers should apply nitrogen to their soils using leguminous plants rather than manufactured nitrogen fertiliser, a report by the Soil Association has urged.
Berry Gardens revealed an 11 per cent rise in turnover to £214m at its AGM last week.
Kent top-fruit grower Moor Organics used last week's East Kent Fruit Society blossom walk to show off its Italian-made Ladurner tractor-mounted mechanical weeder, which the firm said allows it to keep on top of weeds without the need for using herbicides.
Morrisons has said it will not be drawn into a price war with its rivals after it announced a one per cent drop in sales for the first quarter of the year - its first quarterly fall since 2005.
The global trade in potatoes rose by more than 11 per cent in value to £6.8bn last year, according to the World Potato Markets report.
A £3.6bn potash mine is planned for a site between Whitby and Scarborough in North Yorkshire.



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