Concerns continue to grow over the short-term prospects for growth in the UK fresh produce sector as suppliers find themselves under increasing pressure to lower their prices and cope with the effects of a weakening pound.

Imports of fresh produce into the UK are reported to have fallen dramatically for a number of products in the past couple few months as a result of the country’s current recession and in particular the dramatic strengthening of the euro against the pound.

According to one major Italian supplier, rapid changes to trading conditions in the UK have prompted the country’s retailers not only to push further ahead with aggressive discounting models but also to investigate direct sourcing as a potential means of cutting costs out of the supply chain.

'UK importers are coming under huge pressure to justify their position,' the supplier told Fruitnet.com. With imports becoming more expensive, import volumes are also said to be falling.

Daniel Corbel of interprofessional organisation Interfel andapple exporter Cardell Export admitted that the financial crisis wascausing problems. 'The UK market is terrible,' he said. 'Our concern iswhether our clients will pay. We have the same worries for Germany andRussia, so we must remain vigilant.'

Samuel Otu Amoah, managing director of SOA Farms in Ghana, revealed that the economic situation was severely affecting business. 'The UK market is very flat, as are other European countries,' he said. 'We produce pineapples, mangoes and papayas, and unfortunately fewer people are buying exotics.'

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