Farmer using light technology capable of producing British tomatoes year-round
A farmer from Merseyside is using new light technology which is capable of producing British tomatoes all-year-round.
The technology is tipped to set the precedent for produce across the nation in the next decade, to decrease reliance on imports.
Typically, between December and March, retailer’s source tomatoes from South Africa, Spain or Turkey, but new technology could lead to thousands more tonnes of tomatoes grown on British soil every year, reducing food miles and ensuring optimum freshness on shelf.
The light technology is currently being used by a farmer in Southport across 31 acres of glasshouses growing tomatoes.
Installed between the vines and coloured bright pink, the LED lighting supplements natural daylight so that crops can be grown efficiently at all times of the year, no matter what the weather.
In addition to ensuring British tomatoes can be stocked every month, the LED technology helps reduce the total energy required to run the greenhouse by up to 35% through mitigating the need for excessive heating and ventilation, meaning the tomato growing process remains environmentally friendly.
Andy Roe, Tomato Production Manager, who has supplied Asda with tomatoes for over 20 years, comments: “I can say with confidence that by using this technology, I could grow a tomato absolutely anywhere – underground, in a Tube carriage, on the Moon.
“The beauty of this technology is that it hands complete control over to the growers, who can monitor levels and adjust accordingly to ensure the best quality product. Whilst we may be the first UK growers to work with the technology, this is the way forward for horticulturalists across the globe.”
Each year, Mr Roe and his team of growers pick just over 200 million tomatoes.
