AN APPLE farmer is selling the family business as the traditional Kentish industry falls further into decline. Nick Swatland has put Rhode Fruit Farm at Doddington, near Sittingbourne, on the market.

He said: "I am walking away while I still can. In many ways, I am relieved to be getting out now. It has been getting worse and worse. The writing has been on the wall. There will be a few that survive, but it is amazing when you have the market literally on your doorstep and countries can export from abroad and still undercut you."

This 70-acre farm is not alone. Several others in the Sittingbourne area have also recently gone up for sale. Rhode Fruit Farm last year produced more than 500 tonnes, or four million, Cox and Bramley apples. This was the biggest ever crop, but the harvest did not reap rewards.

Mr Swatland said: "Quite frankly, they were grossly undersold. I certainly will not make a profit this year. In fact, I will make a loss, along with the majority of the rest of the industry."

Supermarket shelves are being filled with foreign imports as the pound is strong against other currencies. Mr Swatland said: "In money terms, the consumer will not lose out. But eventually, there will be no English apples for them to eat. They will disappear from the shelves."

Sittingbourne MP Derek Wyatt has asked a number of questions in Parliament on this issue in the last two years. He said farmers should be offered support in finding places to sell their products.