I consider myself part of the minority, and I don’t mean as someone who voted to remain in the referendum. No, I mean that I’m a young person in fresh produce and somewhat of a new entrant.
Having made the move down to Kent from the livestock and arable stronghold of Suffolk a couple of years ago, I assumed I would find the same core of young farmers or growers taking the industry forward. Save for the U40 fruit growers, I have found there to be a distinct lack of young growers, which is surprising given the diversity, progression and opportunity available in the produce industries at present.
Part of the reason is perhaps the stigma attached to the relationship between growers and the supermarkets. By outsiders this relationship is commonly questioned, but in my experience much of the negativity has been unfounded and it’s a good working relationship. I would go so far as to say that I can see a much more open and improved relationship in line with sustainability of supply going forward. I have been a beneficiary of this with the Tesco Future Farmer Foundation which has been a great cross-industry sharing of knowledge and is crucial to the industry as a whole, particularly where issues are shared, such as the lack of young people getting involved.
Admittedly we don’t have the draw of the ‘big kit’ like arable, but the attention to detail required in growing fruit and the fast-moving technology should offset this.
Just in the time that I have been involved, we have tested autonomous tractors, moved towards variable-rate fertiliser spreading, and considered the viability of using drones. It’s not just confined to growing either. Part of the selling point for me to move into the industry was the impressive packhouse innovation. I have been lucky enough to be involved in the implementation of end-of-line automation and further advances to grading and packing, particularly in terms of flow-wrapping. It all shows no sign of abating and it’s an exciting time to be in the industry.
A trip to South Africa at the beginning of the year affirmed to me how the advances in technology in this country are driving a greater efficiency in both picking and packing. That said, the work going into varietal development there was very impressive and I think that a lot can be learned from looking at other countries.
So while the short-term fallout from Brexit will require us to secure a seasonal labour supply, from the current rate of development and advancement of technology in the sector eventually there will be less need for seasonal labour. Instead, I believe the focus must be on ensuring a future generation in the industry.
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