Wed March 3rd

I will just whisper the fact that we have not seen rain for two whole days now! We can now start to think about getting our drilling programme under way near Grantham. With the soil still being very cold there is little point in getting too excited yet. Peas, like all plants, require heat as well as moisture for them to grow. The storm that has just come across Europe will not have been of a benefit to pea crops already in the ground in southern Europe, and we will have to wait and see if it has done any lasting damage.As has been previously reported, the closure of the Birds Eye Lowestoft plant will be a huge blow to those growers in Suffolk and Norfolk. Whether it has implications to the rest of the industry it is too early to tell. Contract prices are down this year, so a microscopic examination of costs is taking place. Seed is a high proportion of our costs, and its value is greatly affected by currency fluctuations. Needless to say it's very expensive at the moment.Hopefully we will be under shortly and will endeavour to keep you, and our Menorcan friends up to date with our progress!