Be bolder with apple choices to boost sales, says Suffolk farmer
A Suffolk farmer reports that extreme weather conditions have severely impacted apple yields and sizes this season. He urges consumers to diversify their apple choices to support local growers and move away from standardized, bland varieties.
Why it matters
This reflects the broader impact of climate change on agriculture and the economic challenges faced by small-scale farmers in maintaining market relevance.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Luke Deal and Alice Cunningham , Suffolk Luke Deal/BBC Henry Dobell owns Moat Farm in Kenton and grows 15 varieties of English apples A farmer says fruit growers need to be more adventurous with their choice of apple varieties to help sales following a tough year for yields.
The summer's record-breaking temperatures and lack of rain have led to many struggles for farmers across the country , with many crops failing to grow.
Henry Dobell owns Moat Farm in Kenton near Debenham, Suffolk, where he grows 15 varieties of apples. He says that in his 21-year career it has been the most challenging season - with many of the apples struggling to grow.
He said he was struggling to sell traditional English apples in volume and believed that, as a nation, we had "lost a taste for interesting, delicious, fresh, seasonal apples".
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