The NFU has pledged to fight for a “fairer balance of risk and reward and create a science and regulatory framework with horticulture at its core”.

Speaking at a special horticulture session at last week’s NFU conference, board chair Sarah Dawson (pictured) said there was “huge potential to increase British production” but that it would require significant changes to supply chain relations and policy changes from government.

Outlining the challenges facing the sector, chief horticultural adviser Hayley Campbell-Gibbons said that while growers accepted the fresh produce trade was highly competitive, relative returns were currently much higher in the wheat and oilseed rape sectors, making them attractive to growers.

Campbell-Gibbons cited DEFRA farm income figures revealing that 61 per cent of horticultural businesses made less than £30,000 profit in the latest year. “It hardly paints a picture of a sector set to take on that growth,” she said.

Key to improving the situation would be stronger supply chain partnerships, she added, and she warned retailers they would be damaging their own businesses if they didn’t get closer to growers. “Those that trade outside of committed relationships will be exposed to supply chain shocks and risk their profitability,” she stressed. “We need retailers and processors to step up and to play their part.”

Horticulture board member and potato grower Tim Papworth said that after an awful year for many growers, there needed to be better returns. “Retailers need to reward growers or they will lose supply,” he said. “We are an endangered species. We need money back in the industry or we will be importing more potatoes from abroad, which doesn’t make sense.”

Sore for SAWS

The NFU has said maintaining the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme is key to the industry. In its annual labour survey, the union reported 95 per cent of respondents saying that if SAWS ended it would negatively impact upon their business.

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