MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands promote horticulture to cut costly and vulnerable import of fresh foods
The Falkland Islands Development Corporation, FIDC, announced the latest phase of their Fresh for the Future program, bringing new commercial entrants into the horticulture market, as well as assisting keen amateur growers to step up with a training program to develop skills that may be applied over a range of production situations and optimizing crop performance. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesWhat happened to Islander's gardens? There were plenty of vegetables grown when I was down south.
Sep 28th, 2017 - 02:36 pm - Link - Report abuse +1One thing for certain, it's difficult to thin out carrots in the UK, and get them to grow again. But you can do this in the Falklands and transplant them.
And root crops grow into the winter and just keep getting bigger due to few hard frosts.
If there is enough veg being imported at a reasonable cost maybe this is why.
And the market garden grows a lot, and has been doing so since the 1980s.
One of the most stupid myths about the Falklands, disproved by a quick visit are there are no trees in the Islands and that nothing grows there.
British journalist's bullshit.
England will return the Malvinas within 25 years.
Sep 29th, 2017 - 03:50 am - Link - Report abuse -1Pete,
Sep 29th, 2017 - 09:41 am - Link - Report abuse +1Correct- A lot is imported today that was grown here 30-40 years ago. Simple- in those days there was not the modern high tec means of sea and airfreight fresh produce transport that there is today enabling many products to arrive fresh thousands of miles away. In the past most was grown in family gardens - its very very different when you have to add in realistic labour charges and do it commercially!
Some is home grown, a bit more could be, but several main basic durable veg and fruit will be imported for simple economic reasons.
Exposing growers here to outside expertise etc helps local growers improve production and perhaps extend season a bit and add in a few more niche market type high perishable crops that cannot be imported for that reason. That is good and well worth it.
@Islander 1
Sep 30th, 2017 - 04:59 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I think it is good that more people want to grow commercially in the Islands. As you are aware, the daylight hours are similar to the UK, the main difference is colder wind than the UK's moderated by the gulfstream. Concentrating on growing crops that are the most expensive to import makes sense.
I just laugh at the belief that nothing grows in the Islands. It's just that some plants and trees need a helping hand to get going.
You make a good point about labour charges, horticulture is not a high value industry, but if more people want to give it a go perhaps they can grow produce in enough numbers to work.
Do you know anything about the 'forest' at Hill Cove? I heard it has gone. I hope not. When I was there I'm not sure why it wasn't thinned out so that the trees could develop thicker trunks.
Big advantage though for growers in the Islands, (unless much has changed), few fungal diseases or insect pests.
Pete Bog,
Oct 01st, 2017 - 12:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yes Hill Cove Forest is still there - but dying- the spruce aphid appeared in the Islands about 25-30 yrs ago and has ruled out Sitka Spruce as a viable conifer to plant They have hit Hill Cove hard with many trees now dead or dying.
But the wood is nigh on 100yrs old now, planted in the 1920s. Facinating place though still- pine trees 50-60 feet tall and a totally different microclimate and grasses on the sheltered side.
Yes we are lucky in free of many of the real nasty pests and a lot of bacterial and fungal diseases.
Thanks for that news. A great pity for the forest. I hope it can be saved. There is great growth in the islands. I remember coming across shanties in the middle of nowhere with great masses of growth of honeysuckle, as luxuriant and invasive as anywhere in the UK, and thinking, is this real? I remember the wow factor, when I was there (Hill Cove)as the trees were tall but I felt that with thinning out they would be sturdier. However I guess this spruce aphid will do for them regardless. Are there still tall trees on Weddell Island, (Antarctic Beech?) . I felt the wow factor wherever there were trees; you are spot on, the microclimate was so different near them or in any small woods.The climatic contrast with the wood on Carcass Island (absolutely chockers with Falkland Thrushes singing )or especially Rob McGill's garden, then outside to moorland, was stark. This is why I laugh at the assumption (given to me before I arrived from the WhenI tribe) that the Falkland Islands is a snow and rain drenched hell hole where nothing grows.
Oct 03rd, 2017 - 12:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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