Red Tractor Audit 2020

At Moulton Bulb, we believe that protecting the future of British-grown onions means investing in knowledge, science, and partnerships. That’s why we’re supporting a pioneering research project led by Kirsty Turner, a PhD student working to understand how Fusarium Basal Rot (FBR) interacts with onions at every stage of their life cycle — from seed to store. Kirsty is working in collaboration with academic partners including the University of Reading and industry experts from the FUSED Project, aiming to deliver practical, evidence-based solutions to one of the biggest threats to onion production today: Fusarium.

By choosing IFCO RPCs, we are actively participating in the circular economy. Thanks to their unique “share and reuse” model for RPCs, the use of IFCO packaging solutions also helps us cut down on water consumption, energy use, solid waste and food waste, and ultimately reduces the overall environmental footprint of our supply chain operations.

Bulb onions are the world’s second biggest vegetable crop with an annual production of 100M tonnes. It is also one of the UK’s most important crops with around 500K tonnes produced in 2022, with a value of £160M. However, fusarium Basal Rot (FBR) poses a significant threat to the UK onion industry, causing devastating losses both pre- and post-harvest. Losses are driving onion growers out of business and, with climate change exacerbating the issue, innovative solutions are urgently needed.