Dawlish News

A West Country fruit farmer has said he is having his worst season for 16 years as heavy rain ruins crops.
Dennis Killan from south Devon said the wet weather was making strawberries swell and burst.

Another fruit farmer from Cornwall says he is in a race against time to pick the rain-swollen fruit before it is destroyed.

Arable farmers in the region are also struggling with the weather as harvest time looms. Mr Killan, who runs a pick-your-own farm at Kitley in the South Hams, said: "I would expect one dry weekend in June, but we have had none at all and it has affected income drastically.

"When the strawberries are there to be picked you cannot hang onto them.

"But the weather means people do not want to come out to pick out of doors."

He added: "We have had a few rough weekends in the past, but June has been wiped out.
"We've never known a year like this one for 16 years."

Jeremy Best, who runs a fruit farm in Mitchell near Truro, said "The fruit that comes off is a lovely size.

"It's just about getting it off in a hurry because it goes from red to squelchy in 24 hours."

Andrew Goodridge, from Dawlish in Devon said he was facing a "double whammy" of being forced to harvest crops together.

He said: "We are looking at something that would put Noah's Ark to shame.

"The rain has pushed back hay cutting and winter barley is ready to be cut.

"Everyone will want the contractors when the weather breaks and there will be only a limited number of days to get the job done."