Retailers are realising that they’ve “gone too far” in “squeezing” horticulture farmers, threathening their viability, says Bord Bia.
Bord Bia agricultural sustainability senior manager Michael Houlihan said that over the last 12 months in particular there is a “little bit” of realisation from supermarkets that producers will go out of business if not properly supported.
“They’ve kind of squeezed and squeezed and squeezed too much from the horticulture sector.
“We’re starting to see some of those retailers kind of coming back now and starting to have more positive conversations in terms of what they can do to support the agriculture sector,” he said.
Houlihan was speaking at a Teagasc SignPost webinar on Friday on Bord Bia’s sustainability strategy.
‘Seen the risk’
The Bord Bia representative argued that supermarkets have “woken up and seen the risk”.
He described the consumer concerns when there was a shortage of some fruit and vegetables, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers, on Irish and UK supermarket shelves earlier this year.
A number of horticulture growers have gone out of business recently, said Bord Bia. \ Philip Doyle
“They’ve seen what’s happening because we have had a number of grocery producers leave the sector over the last 12 to 24 months. It’s a bit of a wakeup call there I think for the customer there in that.”
While Houlihan said this “pressure” continues for horticulture farmers, he suggested that the broader agriculture sector should now see if it can “capitalise and build on” the changing view of retailers.
“Then hopefully the question of [food] security starts to go away,” he concluded.
Read more
Bord Bia report reveals consumer attitudes to inflation and sustainability
Retailers are realising that they’ve “gone too far” in “squeezing” horticulture farmers, threathening their viability, says Bord Bia.
Bord Bia agricultural sustainability senior manager Michael Houlihan said that over the last 12 months in particular there is a “little bit” of realisation from supermarkets that producers will go out of business if not properly supported.
“They’ve kind of squeezed and squeezed and squeezed too much from the horticulture sector.
“We’re starting to see some of those retailers kind of coming back now and starting to have more positive conversations in terms of what they can do to support the agriculture sector,” he said.
Houlihan was speaking at a Teagasc SignPost webinar on Friday on Bord Bia’s sustainability strategy.
‘Seen the risk’
The Bord Bia representative argued that supermarkets have “woken up and seen the risk”.
He described the consumer concerns when there was a shortage of some fruit and vegetables, mainly tomatoes and cucumbers, on Irish and UK supermarket shelves earlier this year.
A number of horticulture growers have gone out of business recently, said Bord Bia. \ Philip Doyle
“They’ve seen what’s happening because we have had a number of grocery producers leave the sector over the last 12 to 24 months. It’s a bit of a wakeup call there I think for the customer there in that.”
While Houlihan said this “pressure” continues for horticulture farmers, he suggested that the broader agriculture sector should now see if it can “capitalise and build on” the changing view of retailers.
“Then hopefully the question of [food] security starts to go away,” he concluded.
Read more
Bord Bia report reveals consumer attitudes to inflation and sustainability
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: