Fresh produce growers are being given the opportunity to anonymously compare notes in a bid to crack cost problems.

The Food Chain Centre has developed a special scheme for the horticulture sector, Hortbench, which allows the growers to form groups, of at least six companies, to compare their costs confidentially.

"The project has been running for around 15 months now," said Jon Woolven, director with the FCC, "and we've got about 13 groups up and running now. We had a target for around 20 groups over a three-year period, so we're running ahead of the programme."

The groups set up so far cover growers in the brassica, onions, strawberries and top fruit areas.

He said the scheme, funded by a Defra grant, allows producers to see where they are doing well, but more crucially see the areas in which they are weaker. "Nobody is brilliant at everything. But its important to take the next step of what next, and we have facilitators who can help the group members, or call in experts, to help in the areas they need to improve."

The FCC is in the process of holding a series of seminars, sponsored by HSBC, around the country to explain the concept of Hortbench to growers.

Woolven said: "We've held a few so far and they've been very good. They've been successful in bringing more people forward who are keen to set up a group."

The next seminar will be held in Boston on November 4, (contact John Colley 01522 343351). A further two will be held, one on November 10 at Ormskirk, (contact Gordon Whitford 01722 402857), and the other on November 17 in Willerby, Hull, (contact Jim Heaton 01482 596057).