Jan Butterley from Bickley Farm near Wellington shows Jeremy Browne her crop of summer fruits.

FRUIT farmers in the Taunton and Wellington area are preparing for what they hope will be a busy summer.

Taunton MP Jeremy Browne visited Bickley Farm, near Wellington, to check out the strawberry and raspberry growing business.

He said: "Consumers rightly put a premium on English grown strawberries and raspberries.

"They generally taste better than imported summer fruits and they are part of our national summer tradition.

"There are many fruit farms in Somerset and the climate can be very favourable for growing first-class strawberries and raspberries.

"They are difficult crops to grow because the fruit has to ripen at exactly the right time to meet peaks in demand.

"The public appetite for English strawberries can be influenced by everything from a spell of good weather to a British success at the Wimbledon tennis championships.

"Imported labour from elsewhere in Europe also makes an important contribution to summer fruit farming.

"There are local people employed at Bickley Farm but they need to be supplemented by additional seasonal labour to ensure that all the fruit is picked and the business remains profitable."

12:35pm Friday 9th May 2008

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