An organics committee, launched last month by the NFU, has taken as a key element of its remit the examination of potential opportunities to increase market share and fight off imports. It is calling on every link in the organic supply chain to work together to increase efficiencies and boost sales in the long term.

The committee's chairman Oliver Dowding has already been active setting up meetings with retailers to look at ways of achieving the goals.

'Every part of the chain from the farmer upwards needs to focus on how we can meet the target of boosting sales and ultimately closing the gap on imported produce,' said Dowding.

He cited the decision by Tesco to cut the retail price of organic milk by consolidating its supply base without lowering the price to producers as an example. 'This sort of consolidation in the dairy supply chain is exactly what the NFU has been calling for,' he said. 'It is precisely these sort of initiatives we want to see in the future, where efficiencies of scale are used to make organic produce available to more consumers without jeopardising the essential premium needed by producers.'

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