The UK’s soft-fruit industry has been boosted by the news that a leading flower nursery is to be converted to strawberry production.

Chichester chrysanthemum grower Donaldsons cut its final crop this week, and FPJ understands the site is being sold to the Hall Hunter Partnership. The 16 hectare nursery will be converted to strawberry production, with the crop due to be marketed through BerryWorld.

Hall Hunter and BerryWorld declined to comment this week, but the move is seen as a positive step for a soft-fruit industry that has seen strong growth in recent years. The focus at the site is expected to be on early and late season fruit.

However, this week’s events are tinged with sadness for the flower industry, with the exit of the last major UK chrysanthemum grower a further reflection of the difficulty for UK intensive flower producers in competing with international competitors.

Donaldsons’ decision follows that of Southern Glasshouse Produce, which quit cut flower production last year citing increased costs and competition.

“We had expensive greenhouses and lots of energy going into produce crops that you could produce for very little in places like Africa and South America,” said Donaldsons’ director Alan Frampton, though he stressed the sale was because he had received a good offer for the business rather than a reflection of the difficulty in making money.

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