SCRI has warmly welcomed a major investment - almost £400,000 - in soft fruit research which has just been announced by the Scottish Government.

Rural Affairs Secretary, Richard Lochhead, speaking at the National Farmers Union Scotland annual general meeting, said that the farming industry could look forward to a strong future. In total, he announced more than £5 million in additional support for farming.

This includes support for the Raspberry Breeding Consortium worth £395,000 towards a £1 million, five year raspberry breeding programme designed to strengthen the success of the sector. Membership of the Consortium, is drawn from a wide range of interests within the soft fruit industry including the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board - Horticultural Development Company, plant propagators, soft fruit growers and Mylnefield Research Services - the commercial arm of the Scottish Crop Research Institute.

A spokesman for SCRI Group said: “This is really significant news and comes in the week when it was announced that SCRI is joining an international consortium aimed at strengthening the soft fruit sector. SCRI and Mylnefield Research Services have a lengthy track record in successful breeding programmes. The UK’s favourite raspberry, Glen Ample, was a result of our breeding research...as is the raspberry most commonly supplied to the UK from Spain – Glen Lyon. In addition, our latest berry, Glen Fyne, is producing bumper crops and work is also getting underway on blueberry research.

“This is an exciting time for a sector that produces Scottish soft fruit of world renown and fruit that has proven health benefits. We are extremely grateful for the support being given by the Scottish Government.”

More information from:

Phil Taylor, Head of Communications, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560044 (direct line), Mobile: 07810 860 701 or

Lorraine Wakefield, Information and Online Service Officer, SCRI, Invergowrie, Dundee, DD2 5DA. Tel: 01382 560047 (direct line) or 562731 (switchboard).