Kent's hop growers predict a good harvest this year, as optimism returns to the industry.

The soggy spring was good news for the county's hops, but early hopes for a bumper year were dashed by a damp August.

"The wet weather just prior to the harvest means the quality of this years hops will be ok, but not spectacular," said Tony Redsell, who grows some 200 acres of hops at a farm near Canterbury.

Hops like sunny weather in August to ripen their cones - the part of the hop that is harvested: this August was the wettest on record.

"It means the size and weight will be somewhat down on last year, but still reasonable," said Mr Redsell.

For years hop prices had been declining, with some Kent growers getting as little as £16 per kilo for a crop that cost up to £24 per kilo to grow in 2006.

But all that changed last year when a worldwide shortage of hops led to some brewers being forced to pay up to £400 per kilo in order to maintain their production.

"It’s unlikely we’ll see those sorts of spot prices again this year, but we anticipate it will still be a good return, but then fuel prices and fertiliser prices have doubled, so we need it," said Mr Redsell.

One of Kent’s best-known hop experts, Peter Darby of Wye Hops, says the better prices are convincing growers to stick with the business.

"There’s a lot more optimism around and that means growers are prepared to invest for the future," said Dr Darby.

"I think it will mean that the hop acreage will not decline. You plant a hop for a decade and might not expect to get any return from it in the first one or two years, so growers need a sense of optimism to commit to the future."