The Case for Polytunnels

Reasons for Protecting Soft Fruit and Other Crops

1) Customer Demand, Quality Fruit
It is no longer realistic or economic to grow strawberries in the UK climate to the standards of reliability and quality demanded by customers without tunnel protection.

This situation is not unique to soft fruits; it applies to other UK grown crops including tomatoes, onions, carrots, potatoes, peppers and flowers.

Prior to the introduction of polytunnels, only 50% of a yield was Class 1 fruit. Protecting the fruit under tunnels has increased this to 90%. For a grower, this means a difference between having a prosperous business and going out of business, since labour costs are too great to afford picking off large percentages of low grade or unsaleable fruit.

2) Continuity of Supply
Demand for soft fruits is growing every year. Today UK consumers require a reliable, year-round supply. Non-protected production of soft fruit is very unpredictable with rain preventing harvest, spoiling fruit and producing wastage. Growing unprotected soft fruits would mean supermarket shelves would be empty. Growing soft fruits under tunnels enables the continuous and reliable supply of fresh, quality fruits and ensures consumers have access to home grown fruit.

3) Extended Season, Agricultural Success
Due to the use of polytunnels, the British soft fruit industry has become an agricultural success story.

Ten years ago British strawberries were only available for the short 6-week season in June and July. The development of tunnel systems has enabled British soft fruit to be successfully grown from May to mid/late autumn. This has dramatically reduced the amount of soft fruit imported into the UK. British strawberries are consequently a very rare and often quoted success story in a depressed UK agriculture.

4) Chemical Reduction, Pest Control
Polytunnels have reduced the level of pesticides by up to 30%. In keeping the fruits dry, enemy number one, botrytis (grey mould), has been eradicated. Those pesticides being used are more environmentally friendly.

The use of protected structures in the berry industry has facilitated the widespread use of natural enemies for pest control, where one pest insect is targeted with another pest insect in order to control numbers. This entirely natural method of pest control is facilitated by the warm environment and enclosed space of polytunnels. Without crop protection, the use of natural enemies to control pests would be less widespread and less effective.

5) Improved Yields, Reduced Costs
Protected soft fruit on average produces 30-35% improved class 1 yield versus outdoor non-protected production. This makes growing the crop sustainable. The fruit is higher quality, has a longer shelf life and delivers lower costs to the consumer. The selling price of soft fruit in UK supermarkets has remained static for the last 10 years whilst many costs for growers such as hourly pay rates have risen dramatically.

6) Employment, Improved Rural Economy
Because of the extended season, protected production enables farm staff to be regularly employed. To help with harvesting, UK growers bring in seasonal workers who, in turn, provide a financial boost to the local economy.

Every year 15,000 foreign students in full-time education come over to the UK under a Home Office and Foreign Office-approved scheme called SAWS (Student Agricultural Workers Scheme). The students are allowed to spend up to 6 months working on one farm and at the end of their stay must return to their full-time education in their home country when they leave.

Some important facts about the UK soft fruit industry

• Unlike most sectors of agriculture, the UK soft fruit industry receives no subsidies for growing fruit. Grants for investing in capital equipment are available for growers belonging to producer organisations but the grant given must be matched by the grower
  
• Production is focused in small farm units (the average soft fruit farm is typically only 50 acres). Because polytunnels increase the fruits yield, they have reduced the acreage
  
• The soft fruit industry is the most labour intensive in agriculture. It is a very large employer with >5000 full time staff and >50,000 seasonal workers. This is of huge value to the economies of many rural areas
  
• All growers and packhouses are members of the Assured Produce Scheme, which promotes the safe and environmentally friendly production of fruit, salads and vegetables. In addition, many growers and packhouses are members of environmental schemes including Tesco’s 'Nature's Choice', FWAG (Farm Wildlife Advisory Group), LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming), the Soil Association and The Countryside Stewardship scheme.
  
• The UK soft fruit industry is recognised as being one of the most innovative in the world. Its growers have a lower average age than in almost all other agricultural sectors
  
• Due to temporary tunnel protection the UK soft fruit industry has successfully managed to service its home market at a cost that is sustainable and has reduced foreign imports
  
• The principal alternative source for summer strawberries is North America. Air freighting produce in large quantities is considered by pressure groups to contribute to global pollution

Common Misconceptions

1) Soil Sterilisation: Sterilising soil does not permanently damage it. Soil must be sterilised if the same crop is to be planted two years running. Ideally a farmer would rotate crops for the two years but this is not always economically viable. When sterilising, a farmer will only fumigate the specific area on which the crop is to be grown (usually only 40-50% of the field). Fumigation destroys only organisms 6-8 inches below the surface of the soil. Within 12 months, this soil returns to its previous state.

2) Polytunnel Alternatives: There is currently no viable alternative to using polytunnels if we are to continue to have a UK soft fruit industry.

Source: British Summer Fruits