British stone fruit growers have called for better communication through the supply chain following a season in which many said plums could not be sold, returns were unsustainable and imports dominated supermarket shelves during the British season.
Nearly 40 stone fruit producers and marketing organisations met at East Malling Research Centre to discuss ways of developing more strategic and better co-ordinated marketing.
Although some growers were satisfied with sales and returns on plums, the majority said they were disappointed and a number announced they would be grubbing their plum orchards as a result.
After the meeting, NFU horticulture adviser Dr Chris Hartfield said: “The resounding consensus from growers is on the need for better communication through the supply chain to ensure that information on production, demand and forecasted yields for the season ahead are well understood.
“However, for this approach to be effective, it’s clear that industry must be unified, with all growers and marketing organisations joining in with this approach.
“Those attending the meeting have been tasked with spreading the word over the next few weeks to get industry-wide buy-in to this approach from those growers and marketing organisations who weren’t at Tuesday’s meeting."
Many growers also used the meeting as an opportunity to raise their concerns over the unsustainably low margins involved in growing plums, which were described as inadequate to cover the increasing costs and risks involved in production.
Hartfield continued: “Poor returns do not enable growers to re-invest in new orchards or varieties, which are vitally important for providing consumers with a consistent, tasty and reliable supply of British stone fruit.”
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