AN APPLE grower is pressing its first juice crop thanks to a Government grant. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) provided funding for presses at Core Fruit Products, Upper Mystole Park Farm, near Canterbury, through the Rural Enterprise Scheme.

This is the first time that farm owners John Brown and Wendy Simpson-Brown have been able to produce their own juice on-site by using their own apple presses. Their juice is packaged and sold in regional outlets ranging from pubs to butchers.

Last year, using apples grown in the farm orchards, Core produced the first pink apple juice in the South East from ripe Discovery apples.

Company director John Brown said: "After last year, we were extremely grateful to receive the Defra grant, enabling us to produce our own apple juice on site.

"It also gives us the opportunity to experiment with other types of apples growing on the farm. The pink apple juice was a big success, and hopefully we can continue in the same vein this year to produce quality apple juices with a difference".

Lyn Williams, of Defra's Rural Development Service in the South East said: "This is a very good example of using a RES grant to diversify from selling apples to producing juice."

The Rural Enterprise Scheme (RES) is part of the England Rural Development Programme and aims to help farmers adapt to changing markets by developing new business opportunities.

A total of £152 million of European and Government money has been allocated to the five-year scheme.