Visiting Overys Farm in Ticehurst to see this year’s blackcurrant harvest, MP for Bexhill and Battle Huw Merriman met local farmers Peter and Michael Reeves on Monday to discuss the importance of blackcurrant farming to the local economy.
Every July and August, harvesters drive up and down the farm’s blackcurrant rows, hugging the bushes and shaking the fruit from the branches. The berries, like 90% of blackcurrants grown in Britain, are destined for one thing – Ribena.
Overys Farm has been growing blackcurrants for Ribena since the early 1990s and Peter and Michael are hopeful of a bumper harvest this year of over 250 tonnes. Their blackcurrants play an important contribution to the 12,000 tonnes of UK crop that go into making Ribena Original and No Added Sugar every year. Once harvested, the blackcurrants are transported to Thatchers Cider in Sandford, Somerset for processing.
Peter and Michael are two of forty skilled blackcurrant growers located across the UK, all experts in growing and selecting only the best blackcurrants that give Ribena its unique taste. The success of the UK’s leading juice drink brand is a result of the hard work and commitment of its growers.
After the visit, Huw Merriman MP said “I was impressed to see such a fantastic crop of blackcurrants at Overy’s Farm in Ticehurst, this has been a good year for our local blackcurrant co-operative as it has produced a bumper harvest of great quality fruits. Farming is really important in the Bexhill and Battle constituency so this was a great opportunity to get out on the farm and talk to local farmers, Peter and Michael Reeves, to find out more about the issues that affect them.