PRODUCING FIELD scale organic vegetables to meet supermarket specifications is technically possible, according to the Henry Doubleday Research Association.

This was the message to organic producers attending the recent HDRA open day at Pollybell Farms in Lincolnshire on Wednesday, Sept 8.

Pollybell Farms has converted 661ha to organic crop production over the past seven years and is cropping 200ha of vegetables this season.

Open day visitors were able to share experiences and solutions to the technical challenges of growing organic vegetables for supermarkets.

One example was the eight-row bed system for growing bunched carrots, where a modified brush weeder allowed greater weeding accuracy and cut the costs of hand weeding, organisers said.

Falling prices for organic produce, mean many growers now rely on high value vegetables to support lower levels of income from other parts of the rotation, said Chris Firth of HDRA.

Further information on the open day can be found in Crops magazine on October 2.