More cheer for Cider

The cider industry and the apple growers that support it received a boost when the European Union (EU) announced that orchards can now be included in the Single Payment Scheme (known by some as the single farm payment scheme).

EU official, Felix Mittermayer yesterday (Thursday) told a meeting of cider makers and others that all fruit trees, including orchards, can now be registered to participate in the scheme. The previous exemption had threatened to create a situation where the capital value of orchards might decline because the land was not registered in the scheme.

John Thatcher, chair of the pomology committee of the National Association of Cider Makers (NACM) was delighted: "This is a great step forward for the apple growing industry and recognises the important part we play in the rural economy. We would wish to thank and commend the EU for listening to the case presented by the NACM, and others, in arriving at this decision."

The announcement was made at the Annual General Meeting of the pan-European group of cider and fruit wine makers, hosted by the NACM in Suffolk.

This decision means the way is clear for member states to include orchard land in the Single Payment Scheme. John Thatcher added: "With the total acreage of land given over to orchards relatively small when compared to the total amount of agricultural land the impact on the scheme will be modest, but for cider makers and apple growers it threatened to be a serious issue, hence we are extremely pleased with the outcome achieved."