There’s been a lot of talk this week about growers and suppliers doing more to help themselves in the face of unprecedented price pressure from supermarkets.
At the UK Onion and Carrot Conference, Séan Rickard pulled no punches in laying the blame at suppliers’ door for helping create the conditions that allow retailers to push prices down.
He’s right, but only up to a point. Of course, if there is way too much product around the forces of supply and demand dictate that it is a buyers’ market, and growers should
co-ordinate to ensure it is in balance. But there is another major force at work - Mother Nature - which can put the best laid plans to ruin by bringing crops on early, late, in abundance or destroy them altogether. No amount of planning can prepare for that.
The industry could also do with a little more backing from the government. Attempts to beef up the grocery ombudsman’s powers are constantly delayed and until a trusted authority is in place, some of the darker practices that we all know take place will not be eradicated.
As has been said before, only genuine collaboration on all sides and throughout the chain will ease that pressure. -
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