Mulberry founder turned walnut farmer calls for help

Former fashion designer Roger Saul now farms walnuts in Somerset with wife Monty

A fashion designer who turned his hand to walnut farming has boasted a bumper crop of the nut this year.

Roger Saul, who founded handbag company Mulberry, now owns Sharpham Park in Somerset - a walnut farm.

Mr Saul has said his crop this year is three times the size of any other year, and believes more support is needed to support British growers.

But despite the burgeoning harvest - Mr Saul believed the UK imported too much food, despite having the ability to grow its own.

Roger Saul co-founded Mulberry in 1971

Mr Saul said this year's harvest is around four times bigger than it has been before, putting it down to climate change.

He said, however, it has taken him 20 years of growing walnuts to get to that stage, and believed his success was proof more support was needed reduce reliance on foreign food imports.

"We're pretty self-sufficient in beef and sheep and dairy, not too bad on cereal, but on veg, fruit and nuts we are hopeless," he said.

He added he believes around 99% of nuts in the UK are imported from abroad.

"So I've been pushing for two or three years - I've watched this subject come up, UK food security, nobody's paying attention."

Roger Saul says this year's walnut crop is his biggest ever

"It needs investment, encouragement and enthusiasm from the farmer - but they have no money at the minute, they have no capital.

"They need loans that are interest free and some persuasion and planning help," he said.

A government spokesperson said: "We are backing farmers with the largest nature-friendly budget in history to grow their businesses, get more British food on our plates and help restore nature.

"This is alongside supporting fruit and vegetable growers by extending the Seasonal Worker Visa Scheme for five years and slashing costs and red tape for producers to export to the EU."