THE large attendance at Bulmers special fruit harvesting and handling demonstration at Llantilio Crossenny, just over the Welsh border, showed the huge interest in the cider apple growing industry.

Among all the doom and gloom in British farming, the industry has expanded rapidly to meet the demands of the cider producers and this year many growers are harvesting a record crop. In Herefordshire and the West Country, it is expected that the harvest will reach around 140,000 tonnes this season.

The high level of moisture in the ground at the start of the growing season, following the wettest-ever winter, are reasons for the bumper harvest. Quality is also good. But the main reason for the high yield for Bulmers is the extra tonnage coming in from the 4,500 acres of new trees planted in Herefordshire over the last seven years, many of which are producing their first significant crop.

It is expected that Bulmers' pressing will reach 84,000 tonnes this year - a record. In fact, the mill has already set a new record of 2,100 tonnes pressed in a 24-hour shift. Cider fruit has a special importance to Herefordshire, with more grown in the county than all other areas of Britain.

Some 300 growers attended the demonstration at the Hereford company's Penrhos Farm on Friday where a 3,000-tonne crop is being harvested from the 400-acre orchard. It is the fifth growing year at the Penrhos farm, situated on a secondary route between Abergavenny and Monmouth.

Last week the harvest at Penrhos was well under way and visitors were able to see the cropping results of many of the varieties.

Machine manufacturers and their local agents were present, together with harvest contractors and growers who had designed and built their own prototype machines.

There were static exhibits and practical demonstrations and chemical suppliers and field advisers on hand. The day afforded an excellent opportunity for growers to meet and discuss their own orchard's progress.

Chris Fairs, Bulmers Growers advisory manager, said that for growers the day was an essential link with harvesting. Besides many producers from Herefordshire and adjoining counties, members of the National Association of Cider Makers from counties such as Somerset, Devon and Dorset and the South West were in attendance. The next demonstration day will be after the harvest on pruning.