West Sussex residents invited to relish local tomatoes

British Tomato Fortnight runs from May 31 to June 11 and is an annual campaign hosted by the British Tomato Growers’ Association to celebrate the tomato season which runs from spring until November.

Following tomato shortages at the start of the year, the British Tomato Growers’ Association is thrilled that British tomatoes are now back on supermarket shelves. The shortages were caused by bad weather in Europe and Africa which impacted supplies.

Growers at The Green House Growers Sussex in Barnham are celebrating British Tomato Fortnight and encouraging people in the local area to make the most of the British tomato season.

Duncan Toms, general manager at The Green House Growers Sussex said buying seasonal fruit and vegetables is the best way to get freshest and tastiest produce.

“A lot of love and hard work goes into growing our delicious British tomatoes at The Green House Growers Sussex. We’re extremely excited that the season is underway and British Tomato Fortnight is an excellent way to celebrate this.

“We’re encouraging everyone to check labels in supermarkets to ensure they’re buying British where possible, as its better for the local economy and means food miles are significantly reduced.

"Our toms are also kept on the vine longer than imported varieties which means they absorb as much flavour as possible before reaching your plate.”

Dr Phil Morley, Technical Executive Officer at the British Tomato Growers’ Association said: “The past few years have been especially challenging for our growers with sky-rocketing energy and input prices, labour shortages and supply issues. This British Tomato Fortnight, we’re proud to be celebrating their hard work.

“Around a fifth of the total toms we consume are grown here in the UK so it’s vital we make the most of the season. And we know demand is there, Google searches for British tomatoes shot up by 293 per cent following the shortages at the start of this year.

“At a time where we’re trying to make our money and time go further, we’ve created a range of delicious, healthy ‘Toms in Ten’ recipes that are quick and inexpensive to make, working with well-known foodies and authors Joe Woodhouse and Rukmini Iyer."