Blackcurrant growers have met with their local MPs and Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner at a Parliamentary reception organised by Ribena producer Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I.
According to reports, the event provided an opportunity to talk through challenges, as well as opportunities for innovation and investment, as well as showcasing the findings of the latest Ribena blackcurrant growers’ survey. This shows that ’93 per cent of growers identify adverse weather conditions as a primary concern with three-quarters expecting extreme weather to have the greatest impact on their businesses in the next five to ten years. Increasingly unpredictable conditions, from hotter summers to milder winters, are affecting harvests and long-term planning.’
With more than 90 per cent of the UK’s blackcurrant crop used to make Ribena, SBF GB&I says that ensuring the long-term viability of production is a key priority, with particular challenges around climate and economic pressures. Among the actions growers would like to see are flexible funding for innovation and R&D, enhancements to the Sustainable Farming Incentive, and grant support for new equipment, technology, and skills development.
Following the event, Elise Seibold, chief operating officer at SBF GB&I, commented, “Our blackcurrant growers’ survey is an invaluable tool for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing the community of growers behind every bottle of Ribena. Working closely with MPs and policymakers enables us to invest in innovative technologies and practices that enhance the farms we work with while safeguarding the environment we all live and work in. It’s a key part of our company value of Growing for Good, which guides everything we do at SBF GB&I.”