It may still be February but summer has definitely arrived in one part of Norfolk.
Award winning tomato grower Cornerways Nursery has picked its first boxes of tomatoes, and many more will follow, hitting the produce shelves of the UK’s major retailers in the next weeks.
"After the poor summer of last year we decided to plant our 2009 crop early and hence get a good start for this year" commented Nigel Bartle, manager of Cornerways Nursery and chairman of the British Tomato Growers’ Association. "It’s great to see fresh tomatoes so early in the year. This is a record for us and we believe we are one of the earliest in the country."
The fruit harvested came from one of the six different varieties grown on the site. These cover a full range of tomato types from large on the vine tomatoes to sweet cherries. They are sold both directly to a range of local customers and also to major retailers through international produce group The Greenery.
Kevin Doran, managing director of The Greenery UK, said: "The team at Cornerways produces incredible produce and has a great environmental story. We really see this as an example of the future of supply."
The nursery, based at Wissington close to Downham Market, is part of the British Sugar Group and recycles energy from the neighbouring sugar factory, using it to create the perfect environment for the 200,000 tomato plants and the bumblebees that pollinate them.
Water and plant nutrients are also recycled, making this the greenest greenhouse in the UK.
British Sugar Group Head of Ventures, Peter Williams, explained that venture is a key part of a wider sustainability effort:
"Wissington itself is an incredibly efficient power station exporting power to local homes, and combining the Cornerways business with operations such as soil, lime and bioethanol means the whole site has one of the UKs best sustainability stories."
Volumes from the site will increase in the coming weeks with full production targeted for British Tomato week from 18 to 24 May. It will then continue through until the autumn.
