As you walk around the show halls you will notice several new companies, many from abroad, who have appreciated that most of our industry makes it to Detling each year. There is certainly plenty going on with product launches at every corner and some exciting partnerships being announced.
This show is vitally important to link fruit growers with the businesses that service their industry. From recruitment to cutting edge innovations exhibitors can showcase and demonstrate their latest products and services. The show also gives the sector opportunities to meet with industry partners and customers, study activities of rivals, and examine recent market trends and opportunities. We are committed to ensuring that the show remains free for all our visitors. We have an extremely able and hardworking duo in the office supported by an incredible skill bank of volunteers that make this event possible.
The display of the competition fruit is always going to be the highpoint of my year. There is nothing better than the long rows of fabulous British apples and pears. 2016 has been more challenging than most I fear. The dark cloud of falling prices in the discount war has been played out against some very difficult weather at times – that never ending winter that never quite got cold (the winter chill hours figures for some regions sound like April, not January). Then a spring that never quite got going, and it all added up to a late season.
Cold weather that has affected pear volumes for some growers, the awful hail resulting in the writing off of some orchards, the extreme temperatures that have scorched our sensitive Bramleys and if you didn’t have irrigation, well your fruit probably isn’t anything like as large as you would perhaps prefer. But, on the other hand, sugars are great, there is some spectacular quality fruit out there, wonderful flavours and colour, we will certainly, overall, have the kind of quality crop to impress and delight consumers.
