On Sunday 10 December, BBC Countryfile broadcast a report on the terrible state of the horticultural sector in the United Kingdom. Andrew Opie, Director of Food and Sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, spoke to Countryfile on behalf of the supermarkets. However, his comments have been criticized by British Berry Growers, the industry body representing 95% of commercial berry growers in the UK.

Nick Marston, chairman of British Berry Growers, said: “Andrew Opie said retailers listened to farmers and paid more money, but somehow these increased payments were stuck in the middle, with the middlemen. In our industry that is simply not true. Our growers have direct relationships with retailers or very transparent relationships through grower organizations and, despite the constant material we have provided to retailers about the huge increase in the cost of producing fresh berries in this country, we have not seen no action.

Marston indicates that there is a disconnect between retail prices and production costs. "The cost of producing a basket of strawberries has increased by 18p in the last two years and is expected to rise by a further 6p when the national living wage rise arrives next year," he said.

Data from Kantar consultancy shows that retail prices have increased by 27p per packet over this period, but the survey of British Berry Growers member growers revealed that the average return per packet has only increased by 4p.

"Talk is cheap. There are no intermediaries. Retailers are simply not paying more money to our producers and that is unsustainable," concludes Marston, which is why the president of the UK berry producers calls on retailers to "Take real action, listen to growers about their cost increases, and reward them for producing fresh berries so they can stay in business."