The UK vegetable industry should act quickly on the government’s revitalised interest in the horticultural industry, according to Sarah Pettitt, chair of horticulture at the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).
She told delegates at the Onion and Carrot Conference and Exhibition in Peterborough last week: “I am sure I am not alone in remembering Margaret Beckett saying a couple of years ago that domestic production was not a problem, as we could import food.
“Now, the government of the day is saying that there should be more domestic British production - has any other government said that in the last 30 years?
“But words are not enough. We need to take sound, practical action on the ground - in our businesses and in the food chain. We have been promised £13 million for crop protection and a larger pot of cash amounting to £75m over the next three years to increase production, while impacting less on the environment. We need to collaborate together to make sure this happens.
“We need a plan of action to break down the barriers and increase consumption of fruit and vegetables. We are more than capable of increasing production.”
But Pettitt also highlighted that growers are suffering and that price-squeezing supermarkets need to be curbed. “A supermarket ombudsman is needed, clearly,” she continued.
“We are still to hear whether the government is going to support small growers over supermarkets. The likes of Tesco and Sainsbury’s are in parliament predicting doom and gloom if the appointment goes ahead. We must ask: what are they afraid of? There has been decades of retail domination and it is right for the government to bring in a referee.
“The government needs to react on the very expensive forensic evaluation it paid for,” she added.
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