Kent topfruit grower AC Goatham & Son has acquired eight new farms in Medway and Swale as well as the East Kent cold storage facility in Faversham.
The business now has over 2,650 acres of orchards growing12varieties of apples and three varieties of pears.
“We have taken the opportunity to acquire several new sites which came onto the market this year and which are close to our existing farm sites,' said managing director, Ross Goatham. 'Over the last year, we have seen a significant interest from British consumers for British-grown topfruit.
'We are continuously working with our partner growers and customers towards providing a secure and sustainable supply for the future. This will be done by securing more orchard sites and over time replanting on new and more efficient growing systems. By 2020 we will have planted in excess of two million new fruit trees.”
Despite a difficult growing season, Goatham said the 2017 harvest started early and has been progressing well. 'We aim to have this finished by mid-late October,' he said.
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