To respond to Mr Ed Cohen's Letter - (March 8) THERE are no missing foreign lorries!

In 2004 Evesham Vale Growers Limited considered relocating the tomato packing operation in Blackminster to Springhill Farm, Pershore. The plan was to build the glasshouses and pack-house on the same site with access via the A44. However, due to many complications at the time this project was abandoned.

Firstly, it must be emphasised that the new pack-house at Blackminster is not an expansion. It is a remodernisation which will provide better staffing facilities, a better working environment and will be much more cost effective in terms of energy. Once it is operational the existing pack-house will only be used for packaging and raw material storage. It is not being built to accommodate any extra foreign lorries. Yes, EVG does pack foreign produce just like any other successful company that supplies supermarkets. We need to give our customers continuity of supply and at present we are unable to produce tomatoes all year round. The new glasshouses would hopefully extend our English season as well as enabling us to meet extra demand. The 20-acre glasshouse would give us a production of up to 2,000 tons of produce in one season. This would considerably reduce foreign lorries coming to the Vale.

Mr Cohen's quote on the size of the annexe is inaccurate! The Badsey area is actually 7,700 sq ft on a six-acre site. The proposal at Springhill is for 25,500 sq ft on a 20-acre site. They are both approximately three per cent of the acreage and they are both one storey!

PAUL BILLE, Evesham Vale Growers Ltd. RICK HOLT, Springhill Nurseries.