If nothing else is remembered about The Money Programme’s excursion into UK strawberry fields last week, I have a feeling that the term “berry barons” will live on.

Alas, as in so many instances when the national media casts a rheumy eye over horticulture, the result is inconclusive and in this case probably left a sour taste, because the expectation was that BBC2 would have adopted a more constructive approach.

Mainly, thanks to Monty Don, the 30-minute slot vacillated between wondering if the modern English season, which extends past the peak of summer, was justified, and the environmental morality of covering acres of Herefordshire with plastic sheeting and tunnels.

The programme also raised the spectra of cheap labour and the support of Brussels over methyl bromide, which was regarded as unnecessary as there are alternatives available.

British Summer Fruits stated the success story of investment and increased production ably enough. Although the meeting at the NFU had an almost Mafia-like feel as it was probably filmed in a way which emphasised what will probably become a catchphrase - “berry barons”.

Certainly this background was in sharp contrast to sunlit slopes behind a Somerset grower with four acres who had turned his back on supplying supermarkets and now runs a farm shop.

What the programme failed to grasp is that the season has changed and has done so because customers are voting their approval with their wallets. If there were proof needed, the long hot summer of 2003 still led to a shortage of fruit right through until the autumn, despite increased production.

And this was regardless of the opinions of the admirable chef filmed at the Savoy maintaining that Diamante tastes better than Elsanta. As my spies also tell me that the programme-makers took over two months to compile their dossier, it was perhaps a shame that Jubilee did not get a mention. But at least the opinions and accusations fell short of tying the “berry baron” label to the whole industry.

Full marks to Sainsbury’s for being brave enough to put a head above the parapet to give a degree of balance. This would have been even better if other retailers had also supported the cause.

There is an old Fleet Street adage: “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”

It will be interesting to see at the forthcoming soft-fruit conference in Kent when the industry gets together, how loud they shout their collective opinion - albeit too late.

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