For the second year in a row, Scottish soft fruit growers have taken a pounding from the weather, with losses estimated to run into millions of pounds.
This week Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser pressed for greater support to be given to soft fruit growers, claiming that the growing of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries formed an integral part of the local economy and employed up to 5,000 people.
However, this summer, with hours of sunshine only a fraction of the normal and rainfall well above average, has left farmers facing mounting costs with poor harvest returns. This follows problems in 2011 where gales in the early part of the season caused millions of pounds of damage to polytunnels and growing plants.
Fraser called on the Scottish Government to take action to ease the growers’ pain.
Fraser believed the government should look at creating a hardship fund to help farmers who have been hit particularly hard saying that idea should be explored.
A Scottish Government spokesman said they were extremely sympathetic to the challenges facing farmers in some parts of Scotland due to the exceptional weather conditions. “We will continue to monitor the impact of the wet weather on our farmers and wider rural communities.”
ANDREW ARBUCKLE