The British Independent Fruit Growers Association held its 17th annual general meeting last week and reported on another reasonably successful year of lobbying; and one which has again left the association with balanced books.

Chairman John Breach, who has held the position since BIFGA was established, told attendees at the agm, at RHS Wisley, near Woking, said that the top-fruit industry is finding it increasingly hard to cope with the price pressures in the UK marketplace: “”In this polarised industry, the companies that are suffering the most are the medium sized firms. The smaller growers who are able to focus on direct marketing and the larger scale organisations are doing OK, but the real battle is in the middle ground.”

He said the parlous state of parts of the industry is making optimism thin on the ground. “More growers are undoubtedly weighing up their options,” he said, adding that uncertainty surrounding the sector’s future is deterring new blood. “This is a way of life for a lot of people. But why would anyone younger want to come and join us?” he asked.

Breach has called for the industry to unite to fight its corner more progressively, and also to take advantage of the goodwill that exists among British consumers towards home-grown produce.

He also believes that a united front could create the strength to solve relationships with customers. The supermarkets code of practice and the NFU proposed buyers charter, he added, “have no teeth. Usually these things are worse than useless and because these codes are voluntary they do no more than give people something to hide behind”.

Breach said that the association continues to represent the interest of independent growers by lobbying government on issues such as the supermarkets code of practice, farm assurance schemes and pesticide legislation, and attending meetings of organisations such as Friends of the Earth and Breaking the Armlock Alliance.

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