Cold snap hits festive veg (From Western Telegraph)

Cold snap hits festive veg

The weather is having a major impact on the Pembrokeshire cauliflower growing sector.

A large part of the 400-acre crop sold to Tesco through the Pembrokeshire co-operative, Puffin Produce, is grown for the Christmas market.

This year the crop matured early because of the exceptionally mild weather in the autumn, leading to a glut and the consequential impact on price.

The December cold snap has had the reverse effect, slowing down growth when demand is at its peak.

Puffin's commercial director Barry Gaskill admitted it was a problem. "The autumn glut depressed the price in the wholesale market. We are having a poor show in December which is leaving a gap. We are experiencing shortages.''

Pembrokeshire's micro-climate is ordinarily ideal for cauliflower production. It is mainly frost free and experiences longer periods of sunshine than other parts of Britain.

Cauliflowers stop growing when the temperature falls to three degrees centigrade. "The night-time temperatures have been cold and the cauliflowers haven't been growing,'' said Mr Gaskill.

But he was optimistic that the co-operative would be able to fulfil its contract with Tesco. Despite the problem with quantity, the quality of cauliflowers was good, he said.

"We are doing our best. All the growers are working extremely hard to meet demand for the Christmas period.''

Every cauliflower sold in Tesco stores nationwide has been grown in Pembrokeshire. They are wrapped in Welsh branded packaging at Puffin's factory at Withybush, Haverfordwest, and sent to Tesco's warehouses at Chepstow for distribution.

Puffin has 36 grower members - ten of whom produce cauliflowers. Potato planting will begin in February. Puffin has invested heavily in a £700,000 cold store facility at Withybush to enable it to be a year-round supplier of potatoes to Tesco. It also has storage space at a cold store facility at the Port of Pembroke.

"Pembrokeshire will no longer be the seasonal producer of potatoes that it has historically been,'' said Mr Gaskill.

Puffin currently employs 40 staff. This development will mean permanent employment for its key personnel.