Weeks of high temperatures and little rain are taking their toll on Sussex’s fruit growers, with fears this year’s harvest could produce smaller fruit.
The effects are already being seen in orchards across the county. Growers say prolonged heat is putting crops under increasing pressure.
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Richard Stogdon, Local Grower, Laurel Tree Farms, said he cannot remember conditions like this.
“I don’t think there’s been another period like this in history,” he said, adding that growers are becoming increasingly concerned by the extreme temperatures.
Mr Stogdon recalled a severe heatwave three years ago, when fruit could not be cooled quickly enough after picking. He said the following season produced “a very, very light crop” and fears this year could follow a similar pattern if the hot weather continues.
The challenges do not end once the fruit leaves the field.
At TG Fruits, keeping produce cool during storage and transport has become increasingly difficult.
Tom Griffiths, Director/Owner, TG Fruits, said the heat has affected every stage of the business.
“It’s been very difficult this year,” he said.
“If you think about the product growing in the field, everything suffers.”
Mr Griffiths said working conditions have also become much tougher for staff. He added that trade has been affected after some schools closed during the hot weather, leaving the business with excess stock.
The impact is not limited to Sussex. Across Europe, fruit growers are facing similar challenges as temperatures continue to climb.
Simon Lane, Managing Director, Fruco plc, said extreme weather has become one of the industry’s biggest concerns.
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“We’ve seen this for a few years now,” he said.
“The intense temperatures during the most important part of the year for growing fruit are just far too hot.”
Mr Lane said growers in Spain and France have experienced temperatures in the mid-40s, making it increasingly difficult to protect crops.
He described a conversation with a grower in France who watched fruit “cooking almost on the trees”, calling the experience “soul destroying”.
From local orchards to supermarket shelves, growers say the effects of this summer’s heat are being felt throughout the supply chain, with hotter summers posing an increasing challenge for the future of fruit production.
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