Bad weather puts grower in difficulties

At the request of the directors, Gilbert Lemon and Ian Walker of Begbies Traynor in Plymouth have been appointed Joint Administrative Receivers of W.J. Oliver & Son Limited, ("Olivers"), a potato and vegetable merchant based in Ashton near Helston.

The company has suffered two difficult years of trading with price pressure from its customers and in this last year has been hit by the very wet summer which prevented it from being able to harvest the growing crops.

Olivers was founded in 1902 and currently employs 20 staff. Gilbert Lemon has said today that it will continue trading in the short term in order to harvest the crops in the ground and examine the potential for a sale of all or part of the business.