Difficult growing conditions have left some growers facing an “uphill battle” to plant this year’s onion crop, the British Onions Producers' Association has said.
The ‘Beast from the East’, which hit the UK in early March, followed by prolonged cold and wet weather for the rest of March and early April, has delayed some grower’s plantings by as much as six weeks.
British Onions chairman Tim Elcombe said there was “concern as to the potential of the crop”, saying the sector was in “unprecedented territory in terms of late planting”.
“We need the weather to be very kind over the coming months to compensate for the late planting of this year’s crop,” he said.
“Crops on average are usually drilled and planted by mid-March so with potentially some crops going in the ground six weeks after this, there is concern as to the potential of the crop.
“There is also some concern regarding the crop already planted and drilled as this will have sat in cold wet soils for the last two months.
“However British onion growers are now working at full speed to get the crop in the ground to satisfy their customer’s needs.”
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