A restructuring of the levy board system offers more to other crop sectors than it does to horticulture, according to Adrian Barlow of English Apples and Pears (EAP).
Barlow, who has added his voice to those of a number of high profile sector individuals expressing their concerns about the future of the levy bodies, said there were considerable concerns in the way the new levy board structure was going in terms of diluting limited research and development resources to include promotional activities.
“Cultural research and development were critically important for getting SOLAs and new products registered off the ground,” Barlow opined, adding that another important factor was that the intended levy board structure would promote apples, but not English apples and pears under EC law.
“English growers want their money spent on promoting English apples and pears, which was fundamental to them, not on some generic promotion.
“Some years ago we threw out the Apple and Pear Development Council and became the APRC Apple and Pear Research Council because growers wanted to concentrate on R&D only,” said Barlow. ”This was because the growing industry was carrying out the promotion function themselves, increasingly with the multiple retailers. And of course we at EAP carry out promotional activities.”
Barlow said that growers want the limited levy resources available to the horticultural sector board spent on pests, diseases, rootstocks, and factors that would improve the performance in the orchard.
“We accept there are cases where R&D would also assist other crops, but we would assume that would be on the basis of shared funding,” he added.
On marketing, Adrian Barlow said it would be absolute nonsense for the sector board to become involved because it would require considerable extra resources to do the job properly. This would also replicate work already being done.
There is also concern that the change of the levy from an area (hectare) basis to sales basis, would penalise the better growers because they would pay proportionately more, according to the information currently available. However this is yet to be confirmed.
Finally, Barlow said there might have been a strong case for other boards to be restructured, but it was widely accepted that the apple and pear industry, with its sophisticated production and supply system, did not need altering.
Barlow did also stress however that top fruit growers do not wish to be seen as isolationist.
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