A new report has said that despite recent jitters on the domestic and world markets, the fresh produce industry in this country is seeing a mini resurgence, with levels of investment in the sector increasing for the first time in five years.
Market analysts Plimsoll released the data, which said that around 54 percent of companies in the sector are in a ‘surprisingly confident mood’, whilst in some instances, sales were up by as much as 12 percent.
David Pattison, a senior analyst for the company, said: “We have identified a group of 81 companies which are the driving force behind the resurgence, having increased their sales by 21 percent and lifted their profitability from 1.7 percent last year to 3.4 percent this year.
“We always knew that for many companies 2007 was a make or break year, but with all the talk of a slow down in the UK economy the figures from this elite group of companies are really refreshing. A lot of hard work during the past couple of years is finally starting to pay off.”
However, the report also found 31 companies which failed to cope with new, more efficient levels of business performance. Pattison warned that if the wider economic picture results in a bumpy ride during the next six months for UK businesses, as has been predicted, some companies may struggle to survive.
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