Everyone knows money is tight at the moment, but surely the industry could have come up with enough cash to keep the wholesale markets’ business development manager scheme running.

The initiative comes to an end next week, and Zeenat Anjari, Tim Williams and Peter Clarke may not be able to continue the outstanding work that has seen them generate as much as £20 million in new business at their respective markets, as well as the incalculable value of their efforts in introducing new grower contacts to traders.

What kind of message does it send out to Britain’s wholesale markets if the industry can’t even afford to pay for three BDMs to drum up new business?

We’ve gone from a situation where we were told the scheme would be rolled out nationwide, to one in which it is not going to run at all.

Either publicly or privately, the NFU, DEFRA, AHDB and GLA have been pointing the finger at each other for failing to come up with the cash. There seems to have been a major breakdown in communication or collaboration if enough of these bodies could not come together to support the BDMs.

The industry will be the poorer if they leave.