Ribena owner invests in helping blackcurrants withstand extreme weather

The UK blackcurrant harvest is expected to be about 10% below the average of 10,000 tonnes. Photograph: Ribena View image in fullscreen The UK blackcurrant harvest is expected to be about 10% below the average of 10,000 tonnes. Photograph: Ribena Ribena owner invests in helping blackcurrants withstand extreme weather The £200,000 move comes after harvests in Britain hit by wet winter, spring frost and hail, then heatwaves 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. Soft fruit growers said some fruits, such as blueberries and grapes, were benefiting from the extra heat but others such as strawberries could struggle to last into the autumn as overheated plants came under stress. Some crops such as leafy vegetables, potatoes, wheat and barley are also likely to be affected by the hot dry spell. Last year, a long period of hot weather and drought caused berry crops to ripen a fortnight earlier than usual. Vegetables that require a lot of water such as carrots, potatoes and brassicas also struggled in the heat. Harriet Prosser, an agronomist at Suntory Beverage & Food, which owns Ribena, said: “Every year, there seems to be another weather record. Following last year’s drought, growers have experienced one of the wettest winters on record, localised frosts and hail during spring, and now intense summer heat. It has been an exceptionally challenging season for blackcurrant bushes.” View image in fullscreen ‘There’s no doubt we’re farming in a very different climate from even a decade ago,’ said Jo Hilditch. Photograph: Nigel Cattlin/Alamy Jo Hilditch, the chair of the Blackcurrant Foundation trade association and a grower from Herefordshire, said the group was investing alongside Suntory and the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (Niab) in practical research that would help growers build healthier soils and more resilient crops. “It’s about ensuring British blackcurrant production continues to thrive for generations to come,” she said. “As growers, we’re incredibly resilient, but there’s no doubt we’re farming in a very different climate from even a decade ago. Every season now seems to bring a new challenge, whether it’s prolonged wet weather, late