PYO: Is it or is it not for you was the question posed to delegates by Janet Allen, ADAS Horticultural Consultant, who was presenting thesession: 'PYO, The Farm Experience' at Farm & More, the annual farm diversification event which took place in Warwickshire in February.Overall, 2013 had been a very good year; with cold soil and late frosts, there had been a late start to crop growth and harvesting but good weather then prevailed until August. Some growers lost early and main season June-bearing and everbearer strawberry crops, with good consumer demand but insufficient fruit to meet their needs. "Despite price cutting and special offers, demand for strawberries and raspberries by multiples slumped in late-June and July. Large amounts of fruit were wasted," she said; and persistent rumours of raspberries valued at ￡1 million being dumped were rife. Despite all these difficulties, there was considerable interest in PYO, with many members of the public visiting sites to pick fruit until the early autumn, although prices remained static.
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