November 5, 2024
The Associate Director at Wherry & Sons Limited talks to Lara Gilmour about this year’s faba crop and a sustainability act that’s impacting UK agriculture.
We're in the middle of harvest season in England, moving from peas to faba beans. It's a hectic time with farmers and customers discussing prices and requesting quotes for various pulses.
It's still too early to tell definitively. The crop in southern England faces pressure from bruchid beetles, while the northern crop is yet to be harvested. Overall, we're seeing less acreage planted this year due to excessive rain in winter and delayed spring planting.
We're just beginning to negotiate our first deals. We can't sell until we've harvested and assessed the quality, as our business prides itself on delivering what we promise.
My current work is more diverse and people oriented. I deal with a wide range of clients, from multinational snack manufacturers to local fish and chip shops. This variety makes the work more enjoyable and different every day.
The UK’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme is having a massive impact. The government is paying farmers substantial amounts to not grow crops on their land, which is affecting all spring crops including pulse production. It's creating an ethical dilemma for farmers between getting paid and growing food. The system allows farmers to be paid on day one with no risk and this is pushing more area into SFI. Recently the government has capped the area at 25% of production land for farms, but this is still a highly significant area.
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