I'm sure there will be readers who disagree with my take on the EurepGAP conference. As with anything that is retail-led, there is a distinct lack of people willing to put their cards on the table.

But I'll take my lead from Roy Walker and say what I see. The fringe of the meeting was not happy with the direction of EurepGAP, but there is increasing frustration that whatever the external appearance, the inner sanctum of the partnership is impenetrable.

The decision to restrict many speakers to one or two slides and a couple of minutes on the microphone, having asked them to come with far lengthier pieces, was arrogant and frankly embarrassing. This has been an unfortunate feature of every EurepGAP conference and it does not reflect well on the organisers.

Don't get me wrong, I support the concept behind the scheme very strongly. I have said before in this column that any initiative to harmonise standards must be encouraged.

But, as one delegate said to me in Madrid ñ off the record as is the norm ñ the retailers have created a monster in EurepGAP. Its practical successes are very limited thus far, but the aims of its retailer members are such that the movement towards total, global compliance is irreversible.

Of course it is intended to be merely a minimum standard. But even the non-technical among us can see that with every revised protocol come new demands on producers. Version 2004 has been marketed as simplified, but for many producers it remains far from simple.

EurepGAP promised a better flow of communication and launched a Spanish version of its newsletter at the event. If it wants to keep pace with the demands of its most powerful members, and include suppliers in all corners of the globe as it is obliged to, more is required.