Hallett bullish despite pea volume collapse

The British Growers' Association is confident pea volumes will improve in 2013 despite the weather meaning growers could only deliver 55 per cent of this year's expected harvest.

“Lessons will be learned and the ingenuity for which UK growers and farmers are famed will be applied to make 2013 a much better year," explained James Hallett, CEO of the BGA.

This summer's pea harvest has now officially ended and Hallett says it has been a harsh year for Britain's pea growers.

“The unprecedented combination of unseasonably high rainfall and minimal sunshine in the key growing months of May, June and July means that the great British weather has proven insurmountable this season with tracked harvest machines struggling to cope with swamp-like fields."

According to the BGA, British shoppers enjoy 150 million kilos of frozen peas every year, worth over £200m at retail prices, with over 90 per cent grown in the UK.