Hargreaves Plants has appointed Tim Morton as business development manager.

Morton is a well known strawberry grower whose career has included developing controlled environment strawberry production under heated glass, and spring and autumn production in peat bags under heated glass.

Paul Taylor, chief executive with the South Lincolnshire company, said: 'We have expanded well and profitably over the last three years. Our commercial resources are at their limit and to meet our ongoing growth plans we needed to recruit a top grade soft fruit specialist. Tim Morton fits this position admirably.' Commercial director Robert Hargreaves added: 'The company is ready to address a number of growth areas. We have acquired some excellent agencies in soft fruit from overseas breeders and we need to identify our commercial partners in designated territories.

'Our contract production of fresh waiting bed and some tray plants in Holland is expanding rapidly and we must lift even higher our production standards to guarantee our claims to customers.' Hargreaves concluded: 'Some of the largest fruit growers in the UK will only give us more business if we can answer and resolve their technical questions. Finally, we are ready to meet the challenges involved in importing and exporting soft fruit plants. Tim Morton is one of very few people in this country who could tackle this wide ranging brief and succeed.'