This is British Tomato Week’s sixth outing. Why does it take place in May?

Although we see stories of the first tomatoes going into stores as early as February, we want to have British Tomato Week when we have some serious volumes so consumers can see British tomatoes on the shelves.

As we can’t compete on price with imports, we have to have great-tasting British product on offer. Also, before May can often be a sticky time in the season with weather problems, so it can affect the market and help sales, especially with imports still ticking along.

What activities are taking place?

We returned this week to the Houses of Parliament to supply their restaurants and our chairman was dressed as a tomato.

This is a great opportunity to influence policy-makers in both the agriculture and health departments and get food security and healthy eating at the top of the agenda. We have had coverage from The One Show on BBC1 and BBC4’s Mud, Sweat and Tractors programme in the last year, as well as countless radio interviews, which has been excellent.

We are also exhibiting through the National Farmers’ Union at the Chelsea Flower Show, getting support from JR Holland in the North East, revamping our website and having in-store tasting sessions at Marks & Spencer, Tesco, Asda, The Co-op, Aldi and Budgens, as well as plenty of events involving children.

Support has been good, but a little patchy. It is a great marketing opportunity, after all. If I am cynical, I wonder whether boasting about great British product detracts from the other tomatoes on the shelf and retailers worry about their sales?

How well can British product compete with exports?

We shouldn’t try to compete with imported commodity products on price, because we offer something better. Price is not the only factor.

What is undoubtedly in our favour is taste. People always ask me, why don’t tomatoes taste as good as they used to? Actually, British fruit tastes as good as ever, if not more so, but the UK only represents 18 per cent of the market year round and 50 per cent in the summer.

How is the British offer looking at the moment?

As a general rule, the best thing to do is the opposite of what the Dutch do. At the moment, there is on-the-vine product from the Netherlands, so the price has been driven down because of the number of tomatoes out there.

Classic loose product is in demand, as it has been short. Cherry on the vine is popular, as is Piccolo, which has 12 per cent sweetness - three times what you expect from a standard tomato.

Unfortunately, there will be no exported tomatoes from Jersey this year, as they didn’t cover costs last year. UK acreage is down 10 per cent, even with the Thanet Earth project.

How has the Thanet Earth project in Kent boosted UK tomatoes?

We very much welcome the project as it confirms the opportunities that exist for tomatoes in the UK, partly because land is cheaper here than in the Netherlands. There is demand for British product so it is a chance to capitalise on that.

Although it is large, Thanet Earth’s budgeted projection would only be three to four per cent of production and one per cent of consumption. It’s not actually the biggest glasshouse in the country for tomatoes. But we would definitely like them to join the TGA and integrate a little more into the industry; around 90 per cent of UK producers are members at the moment.

What are the main issues affecting UK growers this year?

It has not been an easy year for tomato growers in the UK - energy prices were high, especially in Jersey, when growers were planning their crops in September and October. So when prices did come down, producers had already planted fewer groups to counter this.

There have been some good light levels in the spring, though, and the season is looking very good.

Could this be a time of great opportunity, with food security and exchange rates working in favour of UK tomatoes?

We have a great opportunity. I think as a country we have relied on importing whatever we want, but we have a pretty secure supply from glasshouses here and the currency problems are in our favour.

We have several key messages including food security, food safety, flavour, range, harvesting at the right time and the nutrient levels in British tomatoes you get from increased lycopene, which is five or six times better than long-life varieties imported from southern Europe. We have really got a great story to tell.

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