British Summer Fruits has hit back following the “berry barons” slur in last week’s edition of The Money Programme broadcast on BBC2 on November 10.

“The programme was described to us as a serious business programme to highlight the success of soft fruit in comparison to the rest of UK agriculture,” said BSF chairman Laurence Olins. “We were therefore disappointed that they ended up making a tabloid-type programme that missed the point that there is a serious business programme to be made and lessons to be learned.”

The soft-fruit sector found itself under fire from the show with major growers branded as “berry barons”. It questioned “hidden costs” involved in extending the UK strawberry season.

It suggested the industry was dragging its heels when it came to the phase-out of chemicals such as soil sterilant methyl bromide and was not using alternative products.

And celebrity gardener Monty Don was given the chance to attack the industry again, describing polytunnels as “raping the landscape”.

The programme also highlighted the use of migrant labour, suggesting the industry was “courting controversy” and queried workers’ rates of pay.

Graham Neal, md of S&A Produce, highlighted in the programme, hit back at the arguments: “You can’t change the fact that consumers like strawberries. There’s nothing wrong with what we do, we are not killing anybody or causing damage.”

But Olins said the show did serve to point out that there are misperceptions of the industry that need to be addressed. “We are not law-flouters and irresponsible farmers,” said the BSF chief. “The perception of growers as berry barons is wrong and British Summer Fruits will be looking to nip that in the bud next year.”

Topics