Â鶹ԼÅÄ

Apple and pear growing in the UK is on a knife-edge, according to a survey of apple and pear growers by the British Growers Association. More than a third of orders for new trees have been scrapped by farmers who say the sums just don’t add up. They say costs have risen by around 23% compared to an increase in the price they’re paid by supermarkets of just 0.8% We speak to a grower in Kent who's just cancelled an order for 36,000 new trees.

All this week we’re focusing on rural poverty and the impact it’s having. We speak to an agricultural worker in Devon who’s struggling financially because of the impact of bird flu. He's lost his business, and he may also lose his home. The rural charity - The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution or RABI - is helping him and others who are struggling.

The world records for top wheat and winter barley yields have been broken by a British farmer. Tim Lamyman grows cereals over 720 hectares on the Lincolnshire Wolds. He’s held the record for wheat yields before which makes him a ‘serial’ world record breaker for ‘cereal’ yields - he tells us how he did it.

Presenter = Caz Graham
Producer = Rebecca Rooney