Growers of vegetables for the UK supermarkets continue to struggle against the deflationary price tide (p1). Yet, at New Covent Garden, the authorities are trying to stem the tide of totters purloining waste produce from the market for a range of outlets including, worryingly, restaurants (p4).

Two complex problems at the extremities of the UK fresh produce market. But what remains painfully clear is that there is a huge middle ground that UK growers, forced to a large extent into putting all their veg into one retail basket, continue to miss.

The difficulty of course is that growers have become increasingly isolated in the last 30 years, as their direct relationship with the people that influence what happens to their product has diminished. The opportunity to sell large proportions or all of a crop into one marketing desk or retailer was, at face value, too good to pass up for many growers.

It has worked for many too, but unfortunately the devolution of power to links further along the supply chain has also resulted in a widespread loss of marketing nous within farming businesses that are left with nowhere to turn when the limited customer-base runs out.

Growers need help reconnecting with the array of customers out there for their products. But, in this unforgiving marketplace, they must also face up to facts - they have to help themselves.