C&C plans to grow orchard acreage

C&C Group, the maker of Magners Irish Cider, plans to expand its apple orchards across Ireland over the next few years.

Speaking exclusively to Morning Advertiser, Magners orchard development manager Eoghan Hegarty said: "There has been approximately E3m [£2.4m] invested this year" after the company "felt the need for extra orchard expansion and redevelopment".

This year, the company has already planted 200,000 new trees — covering approximately 300 acres and said that "phase two of the operation", which involves re-planting some of their existing orchards as well as beginning new ones, will occur "between 2009 and 2010".

Hegarty added: "We will pick fruit from them next year, but they'll reach full production in about five years. Gone are the days when the grower would plant 200 to 300 trees per acre."

A way to fast-track production, named "fruit wall", has also been introduced to meet consumer demand for cider.

"Fruit wall is essentially a high-density method of planting trees. It's designed to grow as much fruit as possible through a small time frame," said Hegarty.