The owner of Ribena is to invest £200,000 in helping blackcurrant bushes withstand stress after extreme weather put a squeeze on this year’s UK harvest. That harvest is now under way in the berry’s main growing regions including East Anglia, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Kent and Scotland. It is expected to be about 10% below the average of 10,000 tonnes, as the climate crisis drives extreme weather across Britain and elsewhere.
Growers said crops had been hit by one of the wettest winters on record for parts of the UK, which held back pruning and weeding, followed by localised frosts and hail during spring. The heatwaves in June and July then caused scorching and prompted some berries to drop prematurely. The lack of rain in many areas, with little more expected before the harvest finishes in early August, is also producing smaller fruits.
A collaborative research programme with AIRTO member Niab at East Malling in Kent will investigate how improving soil health can help blackcurrant bushes better withstand periods of environmental stress. The project will evaluate the use of organic soil additions such as wool, pasteurised manures and green waste products to improve soil organic matter, moisture retention and nutrient cycling. Researchers will assess how these elements might help soil health, plant establishment, bush vigour, yield and berry quality to identify the most effective approaches for improving resilience across UK blackcurrant production.
