Turf grower and
topsoil supplier Rolawn has forecast
that turf prices in the UK are set to increase over the coming months.
The impact of
challenging growing conditions starting with the cold wet winter, followed by
the ‘Beast from the East' in spring, moving on to a record breaking hot dry
summer has increased production costs in an unprecedented manner.
As widely reported
many crops have been under tremendous pressure with yields sharply reduced
combined with significantly higher costs, which can only result in significant
upward pressure on price.
Added to
this, increases in fuel prices compared to last year means that the cost of
turf production, harvesting and delivery have increased significantly. As a
result, a double-digit percentage increase in the price of turf is predicted.
Paul Dawson, Rolawn's
Managing Director commented: "At Rolawn our customers understand that we
invest heavily in being able to continuously supply high quality turf,
year-round.
"The more extreme
nature of weather patterns we have experienced in the UK, particularly over the
last 8 months, reaffirms our approach in developing an evolved Medallion turf,
harvested younger and thinner, put through our patented Profresh system to
extend shelf life, creating a highly adaptable rapid rooting product that
results in a healthier lawn.
"However, like
many growers of outdoor crops, we have been hit with major cost increases
across the business, and these need to be reflected in the market."
