Two new UK-bred cherry varieties have the potential to be world-beaters.

Champion grower Brian Piper believes the UK industry is ready to gain benefits from modern dwarfing rootstocks and improved late cherry varieties such as SummerSun and Penny bred in the UK.

They have exceptional size, quality and flavour, he told a technical meeting of some 80 members of the British Independent Fruit Growers Association at East Malling's Bradbourne House earlier this month.

Piper has planted five acres of Sweetheart, and also Regina and Celeste, together with the UK-bred varieties, SummerSun and Penny. 'Whilst Lapins has done us well in the past, these new varieties will do even better in the future,' he said.

He produced excellent yields using Gisela 5 and Tabel Edabriz rootstocks on trees now four years old.

'We picked a tray to a tray and a half per tree on some varieties, and when selling them late into the wholesale market in late July-early August were getting 1,500-1,800p a tray,' he said. 'However 90-100p a lb is the benchmark price through the main period in July, given the competition from Turkey'.

Adas's David Pennell also addressed the meeting and was equally optimistic about farm pressed apple juice, recognising its consistent eight to nine per cent juice market share. 'Growers need to follow the differentiation going on in the market, which overall is growing by around three per cent a year,' Dr Pennell said.

'Single strength, own label, individual variety juices, with advice on how to use them innovatively with other drinks or foods are the way forward. The market reveals many added-value opportunities in the ready-to-use fresh food sector, especially if supported by professional label design'.

He revealed that the greatest challenge to producers is to use good quality raw material to maintain the highest quality standards, backed by regular testing procedures to ensure consistent standards. l

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