NFU17: Outlining a profitable and competitive horticulture sector

Labour

NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board chairman, Ali Capper, said: “We have progressed with government in getting them to understand seasonal labour. I also recently had a meeting with them on national living wage and it is back on the agenda. Mechanisation is not an option for some parts of the industry so we mustn't let government think that this is the answer.”

Vice chairman Guy Poskitt, added: “If I lose 15% of my workforce every year then in seven years' time I'll have none. 90% of all our produce is picked by hand - this can't be substituted by robots. We must try and focus on the economic side. This is nothing to do with immigration.”

Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, NFU chief horticulture adviser said that Brexit will mean change.

She said: “On labour, we've been having conversations with government and the civil servants in charge of putting the case together, this has to be a multi-faceted approach based on evidence from growers. The recruitment drive this year is a much harder task than ever before. So we'll be asking members monthly. We will then feed back to government on shortfalls.”

Retailer prices

The price of fruit and vegetables on supermarket shelves was a contentious point for growers.

Mr Poskitt said: "At Christmas we saw giveaway prices for fruit and veg, but while we can't knock retailers who are giving consumers great value we must never end up as an industry which is perceived to produce cheap goods. Where does this race to the bottom end?"

Potato deductions

Alex Godfrey, NFU Potato Forum chairman, said: “Earlier this month the NFU wrote to processors and packers calling for clarity and transparency in the supply chain after potato growers reported severe payment deductions with little or no explanation. Conversations with packers are happening but growers must go and look at the packing and processing lines.”

Plant protection products, the public’s consumption of fruit and veg, supermarket prices and producer organisations were also discussed.