EFFP’s DEFRA-funded report Driving change in the fresh produce sector (p4) makes for fascinating reading.

The forthright document argues that better organised and integrated producers from abroad are targeting the UK market and collaborating better than their UK competitors. It goes on to say that better supply chain incentives are needed to encourage domestic growers to work more closely together and ensure they have the best chance of success.

UK food producers have long since been suspicious of collaborative working models. To take an example from another area of agriculture, the spectacular collapse of £560m milk giant Dairy Farmers of Britain last year was seized upon by critics as proof that co-operative models could not work in this country. This view largely overlooked the fact that DFB’s failure had much more to do with individual problems within the company rather than an inability of its farmers to work together.

EFFP’s point is that producer organisations should provide the conduit for growers to get together and tackle the problems faced in the supply chain. Some of those challenges - such as supermarket pressure on margins - are particularly difficult for anyone to address, but it can only help if the industry is talking as one.

Speaking of supermarkets, Sainsbury’s should be applauded for lowering the specs on cherries and preventing 30 per cent of fruit going to waste. It’s the kind of thinking that will make suppliers believe that retailers are, in fact, on their side.