Kentish Express Ashford & District
Farmers’ delight at million apples deal
Growing apples really is the core business for farming brothers Charles and James Highwood as they’ve proved by singing a deal to sell more than one million apples to Asda.
The duo, who own and run Highwood Farm at Pluckley, are not only celebrating the link-up with one of the country’s main supermarkets but also a bumper crop of apples this summer.
The unseasonably warm winter followed by reasonable rainfall this spring and plenty of sunshine this summer, has spurred the growth of English apples and the Highwoods, like lots of other apple farmers, say the harvest has begun three weeks earlier than normal.
They will be supplying Asda with more than 1.1 million apples – including the new Golden Fizz variety – and their apples are already on sale at stores up and down the country.
This is the first year of commercial production for the new Golden Fizz variety.
Samantha Mills, from Asda’s apple team, said: “2014 is a great year to support British apples. The weather conditions have been ideal, which means customers can expect bigger, tastier apples this autumn. What better reason to support your local producers and buy British?”
Charles Highwood said: “It is a great year for English apples and they’ve arrived three weeks early this year.
“We’ve had a strong harvest and are delighted to be supplying Asda with well over a million of our apples.”