JERSEY’S historic tomato export industry could fold within months because soaring energy costs and ruthless supermarkets are forcing growers out of business, farming experts have warned.

Peter Le Cuirot, chairman of the Jersey Farmers Union (pictured), said that the market has become so bad that many growers have for the first time vowed not to sow tomato seeds this autumn.

He spoke out after the Economic Development Department revealed that the value of Jersey’s tomato export industry has more than halved in the last five years – from £8.4 million in 2003 to just £4.1 million last year.

The total number of tomatoes exported has dropped by 57 per cent over the same period, from 6,869 tonnes to just 2,941 tonnes, and the area of tomatoes grown under glass has reduced from 176,204 sq metres to 121,855 sq metres. Mr Le Cuirot said that huge increases in the cost of heating the greenhouses, and the reluctance of UK supermarkets to pay more for the product, were making the industry unprofitable.