The James Hutton Institute has launched a pioneering five-year initiative to address the economic challenges faced by UK raspberry producers.

The Raspberry Economics in Production project has been awarded £1 million in funding from UK Research and Innovation's Innovate UK program, aimed at enhancing the sustainability of raspberry cultivation in the UK.

Growers are grappling with rising production and labor costs, as well as the reduction of available pest and disease control measures. This poses severe risks to the industry. In response, the project will focus on developing raspberry varieties that require less water, fertilizer, and labor to grow.

Over the past two years alone, growers' costs have risen by 25%, while retailer returns have seen no increase. Despite consumers consistently ranking UK-grown fruit as higher quality than imports, purchasing decisions are largely driven by price, with cheaper imported fruit outselling domestic produce.

"The UK raspberry industry is at a critical juncture," said Dr. Julie Graham, who leads the project at the James Hutton Institute. "Growers face mounting costs, coupled with increasing competition from cheaper imports. Add the pressures of climate change, and the outlook is bleak."

The project aims to leverage cutting-edge genetic technologies, such as genomics, transcriptomics, and phenomics, to identify and apply traits in raspberries that make them more cost-effective to grow and more resilient to changing climates. This will help safeguard the future of the industry, while also supporting rural economies and the environment.

"Working in partnership with the Hutton on this project is vital for the future of raspberry production in the UK," said Peter Thomson of Thomas Thomson Blairgowrie Ltd. "Developing new, resource-efficient varieties will help growers meet rising challenges and ensure long-term sustainability."

The project is supported by a consortium of partners, including Berryplants Ltd, Dole UK Ltd, The Asplins Producer Organisation Ltd, Angus Soft Fruits Ltd, and the Institute's commercial arm, James Hutton Limited (JHL).

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