Preparing for the season ahead.

Since the move “back up north” in October Well Pict European Scotland has moved on from being a concept to something new, exciting and very tangible. Aurel Voiculescu, Director for Well Pict European Scotland added, “The first few months seemed to be a bit slow, trying to cover off everything we needed, plants, machinery, irrigation, tunnels, office, packhouse and accommodation and getting them organise and ordered – believe me it’s quite a list!”.

Aurel has teamed up with Andrew Cranston, also a director of the company, who says its not just the big things that cause problems, “It’s the little bits and pieces, the odd bit of two by two or the old length of irrigation pipe that could be used to mark out the field, finding that you don’t have to take up the time”.

Having visited Hiller farms back in the Autumn to look at their High Bed Former and Polylayer we soon got the order in and luckily got the chances between the frost and rain to get our first 3.5ha of beds up. We were very impressed with both machines getting the bed up to a height of 16 inches, with the added rooting zone, increased picking speeds and less straw needed, Cranston is sure they are onto a winner. After an hour or two of setting up the Polylayer the team had laid 22,000 linear metres in no time at all. The planting of Elsanta heavy waiting bed has not been completed and tunnels are on the way up.

Finding a suitable packhouse with the potential to become a central hub and distribution centres centre for local deliveries was a time consuming operation, visiting numerous locations within the Angus region, eventually a site was purchased on an industrial estate in Arbroath, situated only a few miles from their student camp and production sites where it was the ideal solution.

Both Cranston and Voiculescu agree that none of the work would have been possible without the help of the Well Pict European teams in Evesham and Devon, as Voiculescu says, “It’s an old adage but the people and their attitudes within the business are the key to its success. Building the right team in Scotland and surrounding yourself with like minded people who are up for the challenge is paramount”.

The farm has appointed Yanko Stavrev to manage the production. Yanko who has worked in the horticultural industry for the last ten years  came up to Scotland after a short break from the industry. Having completed a degree in Agriculture back in Bulgaria, Yanko has worked his way up from starting as a fruit picker in 1995, he was soon promoted to a supervisory level, and not happy with that he went on to manage irrigation, tunnel building and just about every other aspect of fruit farming. This latest move will see him take over the day –to-day running of the farm as well as getting involved in the packing and distribution of local deliveries. “Moving to Scotland is in many ways a natural progression for my career, and a unique opportunity within the industry, its not every day that the challenge of building a major soft fruit enterprise comes up which gives me the chance to put my years of experiences and knowledge to the test.”

Both Cranston and Voiculescu agree that Frank Geddes and his son John of the Geddes group have been a huge help to get the operation up and moving forward over the last 6 months, “their kind help and time is greatly appreciated”. Frank whose family farm around 3500 acres amazingly still find the time to build motorways, reservoirs, golf courses and manage half a dozen quarries.

Over the next few months Yanko and his team will be preparing another 40 acres of production as well as getting the packhouse up and running.

Well Pict European Scotland will be focusing strongly on locally delivered produce, anyone who is interested in this scheme (for any product – fruit or vegetables) and wishes to find out more should contact Andrew Cranston (07814 704 594).

April 2006