Press Release: NNFCC Work influences National Economic Strategy

Perhaps the most important export of the island of Jersey, located off the coast of France, is the Jersey Royal Potato: a classic example of a product utterly intertwined with its place of origin. The potatoes are worth millions of pounds to Jersey, and so what happens when something goes wrong?

Since traditional nematocides have been dropping off the market like the nematodes they used to kill, thanks to their being deemed too hazardous for use on farmland, Jersey has faced an increasing problem of potato cyst nematodes (PCN) reducing crop yields and product quality. It would appear that the only solution is to try and starve the nematodes out of the soil, which can take up to 7 years, with no potatoes or related species being grown in the meantime.

Jersey’s Department of Environment got in touch with NNFCC to investigate opportunities to grow alternative crops on their land alongside potatoes, in an attempt to break the pest cycle by offering traditional growers an equally high-value option. Fields in Jersey tend to be much smaller than elsewhere, export costs are high, machinery is typically small and reliance on manual labour is high; hence the emphasis was on high value, low volume crops. NNFCC performed thorough investigations into various non-food crops: into their feasibility for growing on Jersey, but also into their potential value for the island. Eventually, a suite of speciality oil crops was chosen, in addition to an entire value chain being proposed that would not only produce the oil but convert it into cosmetics and healthcare products on the island. This made the proposition very lucrative for the island (who, understandably, wanted to keep their identity closely linked with the end product, much like the potatoes it would replace). 

This end result was very pleasing to Jersey, to the point where they have enshrined it in their 2017 Rural Economy Strategy, making, amongst other statements, the following policy recommendation:

Subsequently, a second investigation was commissioned in order to find other potential value chains, of a similar ilk, but this time with food crops being considered. After considering several possible outlets, including “superfoods”, the eventual decision was to grow tea. NNFCC then acted as mediator, putting Jersey in touch with the Scottish Tea Growers’ Association, and now Jersey’s first ever tea plantation is set to start growing later this year.

Lucy Hopwood, NNFCC Director says,

“NNFCC is delighted to work with Jersey’s government and their farming community, and we hope this relationship continues to flourish in the future. We are particularly pleased that our work has been recognised in the new Rural Economy Strategy and are excited by the drive and enthusiasm of growers to put these plans into action.” 

Lucy also commented “What Jersey have is really quite niche in branding and marketing terms, so it was important we identified opportunities which would enable this to continue or even develop further. The fact that the first tea plantation will be established this year, so soon after our latest research was presented to the Government and the farming community, clearly reflects their need and willingness to adopt new practices. It is genuinely refreshing to see immediate action being taken without being held back by the political or regulatory process we typically face.”

A case study of our project with Jersey can be found here