Climate changes UK fruit farms

Dr Chris Atkinson, head of science at East Malling Research Centre in Kent, which has been collecting climate data since 1913, said the climate was a big determinate when growing fruit because temperature and rainfall had a big impact on crops.

The climate data shows that the seasons have been getting longer and the winters are getting milder.

“We can even answer sceptics about climate change – no one can argue that climatic data shows it is changing,” he said.

“We need to work out what we are going to do about making sure we can grow our own food and address the question and at least begin to explore the potential of other things.

“We don’t want the scenario to turn into a tragedy where we do not know what we are able to grow.”

The centre has recorded increasingly milder winters and longer seasons. Dr Atkinson said the changing temperature should be used as an opportunity to explore new crops and spoke about someone who had successfully grown a banana outside in Cornwall.

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/kent-news/Climate-change-brings-fruit-farmers-opportunites–newsinkent38035.aspx?news=local

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