Berry Industry Tackles Extreme Weather with £200,000 Investment

Key points:

Ribena’s parent company invests in blackcurrant research to cope with climate change impacts.
Blackcurrant harvests suffer from weather extremes including wet winters and heatwaves.
Collaborative efforts aim to develop more resilient blackcurrant bushes and improve soil health.

Investment in Resilient Blackcurrants

The company behind the iconic Ribena brand is investing £200,000 in a project aimed at making blackcurrant bushes more resilient to extreme weather conditions. This investment follows a challenging year for UK growers, who have experienced one of the wettest winters on record, localised frosts and spring hailstorms, followed by intense summer heatwaves.

Berry Industry Tackles Extreme Weather with £200,000 Investment

Harriet Prosser from Suntory Beverage & Food, which owns Ribena, highlighted that climate change is leading to an increase in weather extremes. 'Every year brings new challenges,' she said, noting the impacts of both prolonged wet periods and severe heat events on blackcurrant bushes.

The project involves a collaborative effort between Suntory, the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (Niab), and the Blackcurrant Foundation. The group plans to explore practical ways to enhance soil health, which can help blackcurrant bushes better withstand environmental stress.

Jo Hilditch, chair of the Blackcurrant Foundation and a grower from Herefordshire, emphasised the need for long-term resilience in the industry. 'We’re farming in a very different climate now,' she stated, suggesting that even growers accustomed to rain may have to adapt by installing irrigation systems.

Developing Hardier Varieties

The research programme at East Malling will evaluate methods for improving soil health through the use of organic additives. The goal is to assess their effectiveness in enhancing moisture retention and nutrient cycling, which can improve plant establishment, vigour, yield, and berry quality.

Furthermore, the initiative aims to develop new blackcurrant varieties that require less cold weather during winter due to global heating. This approach could provide a sustainable solution for growers facing increasingly unpredictable climate conditions.

Source: The Guardian

#ribena #blackcurrant #weather #agriculture #resilience #climate

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