DOZENS of workers in Jersey’s historic tomato export industry are to be made redundant over the coming months as growers close their doors for the last time.
Earlier this year, the JEP revealed that every tomato exporter was to cease trading after being forced out of the market by soaring energy costs and ruthless supermarkets which are seeking to reduce the amount they pay for the product.
Now Jersey’s glasshouses are beginning to close after exporting 2008’s entire crop. Harmony Produce, which has been growing tomatoes for 40 years, will make 32 staff redundant by the end of the month. It has exported millions of tomato-es to the UK over the years, and for the past three years has been exporting 1.5 million punnets to 1,000 Tesco stores each season. It exported its final batch on Tuesday, and these will be sold in Tesco during the weekend.
Owner Kevin Hervé (pictured) now plans to demolish his glasshouse in St Clement and submit a planning application to build football pitches, netball courts, a car park and 28 houses on the site.
