Horticulture Wales aims to help growers and producers reduce waste and improve shelf life, sustainability, and profit.
Funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, Horticulture Wales provides free support, advice, and guidance and signposting businesses to funding.
Horticulture Wales aims to promote knowledge exchange, collaboration in Welsh horticulture, and to help forge supply-chain development.
We identify and develop horticultural clusters of businesses, especially in food and amenity production, that could operate in short-supply chains.
The Short Supply Chain Cluster has established its first Cluster in North East Wales linked to growers, producers and retailers, focusing upon short supply chains with community shops, farm shops and others stocking locally produced goods. They now work together to optimise resources and share expertise.
The Wales National Heritage Orchard Cluster launched in February 2019, collaborating with IBERS at Aberystwyth University in North Wales and will extend pan-Wales, to promote planting Welsh heritage variety fruit trees, to map orchards and encourage collaboration between growers to explore new markets and optimise valorisation.
The Vale of Clwyd Denbigh Plum Cluster facilitated the successful establishment of a grower/producer cluster following the recently awarded PDO status.
The Herbs and Spices Cluster launched virtually in June 2020 with an online event, bringing together growers, producers and open garden networks.
The clusters are backed with university and Government expertise and strive to optimise economic returns for businesses, improve the shelf life of products, and cut harvest losses.
Through our website and social media channels, we promote horticulture in Wales by engaging with businesses and celebrating their successes whilst providing helpful information and resources.
Horticulture Wales has conducted research in the areas of waste reduction, packaging, logistics, merchandising, and stock control to help increase shelf life and improve product handling.
For more information about Horticulture Wales, please visit www.horticulturewales.co.uk, or email horticulturewales@glyndwr.ac.uk or call: 07595055981.
