Fife farms changing to meet sudden increase in demand for fresh produce

With some shoppers panic buying and supermarkets running out of fresh produce, farms are having to keep up with the sudden surge in demand.

Robert Todd, owner of Blacketyside Farm near Leven, said the phone was “red hot” with customers asking about fruit and vegetables, but he reassured locals, saying: “Don’t worry and don’t panic. There’s enough to go round.

“It’s just horrendous, but the work goes on.

“We have got to get our crops planted so people have food. Who knows what will happen. We’ve never faced anything like this before.

“We’ve got a great bunch of people at the farm. It lets you see the best in people.”

The farm has started a new delivery service, where the items are dropped off at your door, meaning customers do not need to come in contact with anyone.

However, there will be a need for workers in the future.

Last week, the National Farmers Union launched a service to help Scottish fruit and vegetable growers recruit workers who have lost their jobs or are on unpaid leave due to coronavirus.

NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick said the agricultural industry was facing a shortage of seasonal migrant labour due to the pandemic and this was one tool to help secure the staff needed on Scotland’s farms.

“We were always a big local employer, but locals don’t want to do farm work anymore, so we looked abroad,” Mr Todd said.

“We need people to help us on the farms. Our job is hard and tough.”

Tom Booth and Connie Hunter, who run the East Neuk Market Garden, a two-acre, small-scale, agroecological farm growing more than 50 varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruit, said they have a waiting list for their produce.

“We’ve had lots more interest in our vegetable bag scheme in the last few weeks,” they said. “We’re now full and have a waiting list. From what we have heard from other vegetable box farms and the organic wholesale market, keeping up with demand is going to be tricky.”

Tom and Connie have been forced to change their business because of coronvirus.

While they would usually sell their produce to local cafes, restaurants and at farmers’ markets, these have closed, so the pair have instead started selling vegetable bags, months before they would usually do so.

They have also started a door-to-door delivery service for people who cannot leave the house.

Despite the increase in demand, Tom and Connie said they have to be careful about hiring new staff.

“Luckily we already had a friend staying with us who has been a huge help,” they said.

“But for businesses which are similar to us it is a very difficult time, because there is an increased demand, but taking on new staff is itself a risk.

“If you employ someone and they catch the virus and spread it to the rest of the team, you would have to shut down your operation until people were well enough to come back to work.

“That’s a huge risk to take and it seems that some farms might try to make do with the staff they’ve got.”

For more information about East Neuk Market Garden visit www.eastneukmarketgarden.com. For more about Blacketyside, go to www.blacketysidefarm.co.uk.