Farmer Focus: Supermarket pressure on consumers and farmers

I recently asked a group of students what they thought farming will look like in 2023.

While some answered in (probably) realistic terms of growing costs and falling farmgate prices, the majority had a rare optimism.

They talked about telling the sustainability story to consumers, opportunities in selling carbon credits and of course a perfect harvest or lambing. It’s enlightening to hear such positivity.

See also: Pig farmers still awaiting Tesco support funding

About the author

Joe Mault

Livestock Farmer Focus writer

Joe Mault and his family run 850 commercial ewes and 60 suckler cows across 155ha (380 acres) near Corwen, north Wales. The farm produces Beltex and Charollais prime lambs and Charolais-cross store cattle and Joe also works at a local college.

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/joemault

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All too often we hear about negativity towards our industry and sometimes I feel it’s totally unwarranted.
 
Jeremy Clarkson caused a backlash when he said food was too cheap. In a time when we are all going through a cost-of-living crisis, why should farmers take the hit for a poor-performing economy?

It’s a moral struggle. I think it’s unfair farmers must plead for better returns.

However, we shouldn’t forget that working people will be struggling to afford food and some will be relying on the 2,572 food banks across the country.

What I find most difficult about these statistics is that children are affected by the cost-of-living crisis and over the past year, nearly half a million children received an emergency food parcel.

But I return to the fact we have farmers on low incomes and now we have a large proportion of the population on low incomes, so you would assume someone is making money somewhere.

One supermarket has forecast an operating profit between £2.4bn and £2.5bn. Should companies like these be conscious that the squeeze they put on producers is seriously affecting their ability to run their businesses?

Take the recent egg shortage – supermarkets have blamed bird flu, but, in reality, retailers were unwilling to cover the cost of production.

For the sake of our industry at a time like this, those who set the price need to ensure that fairness is distributed across the supply chain and priority should not be given just to the shareholders.

While times are difficult, farmers will continue to produce food and look after the environment. I have no doubt that this will continue into 2023 as we are a resilient industry.

May I also take this opportunity to wish you all a Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year).