LHHP’s marketing activities ran weekly from the 20^th May through to the 23^rd of December. This included a weekly market in Stornoway, a fortnightly market from July till September in Tarbert, attendance at agricultural shows throughout Lewis and Harris as well as supplying produce through the Crofters Commission for the Schools "Plough to Plate" initiative, organised by the Soil Association.

Total sales from all LHHP’s marketing activities for 2007 were £18,219.24. This is an increase in market sales activity of £7,839.51 or 175% on 2006 and an increase of £12,674.50 or 330% on 2005’s sales figures.

The horticultural sector throughout Lewis and Harris continues to grow at pace and these sales figures only represent a small proportion of the value of produce grown throughout Lewis and Harris. Through a LHHP members’ questionnaire it is estimated that the retail value of produce grown, by LHHP members’ alone, in 2007 was £88,000

The table below shows a comparison of sales in the years 2005, 2006 and 2007. As you will see the weekly sales trend does follow a definite pattern with sales being highest, as would be expected, from June to September.

The graph below shows the LHHP market sales from 2005 to 2007, a trend line has been added to the graph which would indicate market sales of just under £25,000 for 2008. Whilst trend lines can give an indication of the way in which market sales are moving they have to be treated cautiously as they do not take into account the vagaries of the weather nor the need to increase the amount of produce available for resale from existing and new producers.

Total Market sales of £18219.24 is broken down into the various sectors

Vegetables £8905.38

Fruit £1958.70

Salad & Herbs £1601.48

Plants £4679.90

Other £803.78

Vegetable sales account for 50% of market sales, the main sales categories and values for 2007 are listed below.

Potatoes £5620

Carrots £801

Cabbage £278

Courgette £257

Broccoli £253

Beetroot £241

Onions £239

Swede £218

Beans £195

Turnip £162

Peas £135

Kale £94

Others £412

Fruit sales account for 11% of market sales, the main categories and values are listed below

Strawberry £818

Raspberry £498

Rhubarb £216

Grapes £134

Blackcurrant £60

Blackberry £35

Gooseberry £34

Worcester berry £30

Damson £30

Other £103

Salad sales account for 9% of market sales, for the purposes of this report certain crops have been recorded in the salad section which may not traditionally be known as salad crops. The main categories and values are listed below.

Tomatoes £793

Salad leaves £189

Herbs £176

Cucumber £133

Whole Lettuce £126

Celery £74

Spring Onion £62

Other £48

This category covers items not normally associated with horticultural production but may be a complimentary product or a product that has had value added to it

Eggs £717

Duck Eggs £53

Jam £33

The table below compares sales between the most popular products over the past 3 years.

As you can see from the above table some products have enjoyed continued sales growth, such as potatoes, carrots and onions, whilst the sales of other products such as cabbage and peas have been much more varied. This is due in the most part to the growing choices and supply to the market of individual producers rather than the commercial choice of consumers.

By most criteria 2007 has been a successful marketing season for LHHP. Sales exceeded expectations, new products introduced a wider customer base to the market and marketing activities continued to expand throughout Lewis and Harris.

It was also very satisfactory to note that over 40% of LHHP members continued to sell produce through our marketing activities and also that more individual producers have been able to achieve their ambitions because of the support of LHHP.

Whilst sales from mid-October through to December continue to increase it is important that the supply of staple vegetables is increased to stimulate customer demand. Where customers cannot buy the majority of their vegetables from the stall during this period it is noticeable that the number of customers using the market drops.

The comparison of sales from 2005-2007 does indicate that often we are very much dependant on individual growers for certain products. In 2005 £179 of Peas were sold yet in 2006 and 2007 only £24 and £135 respectively were sold. This was entirely due to one main producer leaving the Island.

Overall we are in a strong position to move our marketing activities forward in 2008. Demand for fresh local produce continues to outstrip supply with queues forming early on Saturday mornings.

The Stornoway Market has quickly established itself as integral part of the town community on a Saturday morning and there are early signs of this being repeated in Tarbert.

The economic, environmental, social, community and health benefits of local food production are being ever more recognised within political circles and it is up to us as a group to make the most of these new opportunities by rising to the challenge of ever increasing demand.

 Ruaraidh Ferguson

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