Coronavirus: Fruit and veg box demand increases

James Hooton said his family business also planned to do pick-your-own veg too this year

Fruit and vegetable farms are thriving during the coronavirus crisis as many people shift from supermarket shopping to veg boxes and home-deliveries.

Tyfu Cymru, which supports commercial growers in Wales, said innovative moves by small and medium-sized farms have met the needs of anxious customers.

A recent survey found most growers had seen "dramatic increases in demand".

Grower Alan Huson said his veg box scheme had "taken off" while the food co-op "has gone through the roof".

A skills-matching service has been launched to find furloughed workers to help meet this demand.

The survey of fruit and vegetable growers in Wales, conducted by Peas Please, Tyfu Cymru and Cardiff University, highlighted that producers across Wales responded quickly to find alternative sales routes, with many diverting from catering trade to home deliveries.

When asked about planned changes to production in response to the crisis, 73% said they had changes planned or under way, which included introducing box schemes, increasing production and changing crops or varieties grown.

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Hooton's have been operating farm shops for more than 20 years - but have now switched to takeaways and deliveries

James Hooton, of Hooton's Farm near Llanfairpwllgwyngyll on Anglesey, said: "We've got three shops and a cafe. The cafe had to close and we abandoned all ideas of doing takeaways and deliveries. The staff were furloughed.

"Easter should have been busy with tourists but obviously no one is allowed. What we are doing, which we started quite early, is taking orders by email and phone, people pay over the phone, drive up and we put the goods in the car boot. That's been quite successful.

"We're known for our strawberries, but this year we're doing pick-your-own veg too."

Alan Huson said it was an "awful" way for people to discover and use local growers, but they "might realise what they can get - the variety and the quality"

Mr Huson, of Huson Farm in Harwarden, Flintshire, said: "We supply pubs, restaurants and schools, so I thought it would be a disaster because everything was closed virtually overnight.

"But our veg box scheme has taken off, with a lot of new customers. And the food co-op has gone through the roof.

"I'd say we've probably seen a 500% increase altogether. It's not uncommon for me to start work at 3am and finish the day at 9pm.

"People are now getting veg boxes delivered to their door because they don't want to go out. I think ultimately a large percentage will go back to the supermarkets or split the difference, but I hope we might keep a large proportion of them."

Lantra, a training organisation for land-based industries, said it has launched a skills matching service amid concerns Welsh agriculture and horticulture could face a labour shortage.

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"Due to the agreement that employees on furlough contracts can now assist elsewhere, we could find that we have volunteers or unemployed people and students who are not currently in education, looking for employment," a spokesman said.

Alice Coleman of Tyfu Cymru said: "We have seen increased demand for uptake of veg boxes and local fruit and vegetable supply at an unprecedented rate.

"This demand in part is driven by those self-isolating or in a bid to avoid the crowds seen in large supermarkets.

"Many Welsh growers and suppliers are adapting their selling channels to accommodate this demand and have quickly adapted to launch veg box schemes, deliveries collaborating with other Welsh food producers, moving online or setting up call and collect services."