Could more be done?

ON a wet July afternoon, with grass ripe for the mower bowing its head to rain, PMQs and more importantly Rishi Sunak’s announcement made for some afternoon viewing. I’m sure that most will acknowledge that steps must be taken to re-open the economy as the ongoing cost of Covid-19 is being counted.

It seems that George Osborne’s austerity train hit the buffers exceptionally hard with Rishi Sunak turning to watch another economic crisis hurtling down the track. Interventions to keep the UK economy from being totally derailed have meant some hefty government cheques.

Stood at the despatch box, the Chancellor described the moment as ‘unique’ as the never-before-tried scheme to give the British population halfprice meals Monday to Wednesday for the duration of August, was given the green light. Is there more that needs to be done?

As the food-service sector collapsed overnight when lockdown was imposed, primary producers felt the impact. We witnessed the train wreck of milk being poured away, a sharp decline in the price of various commodities, carcass balance issues and many logistical nightmares. Maybe the takeaway treat will happen more often and lunching out part subsidised by the Treasury will be relished after months of post dining pot washing at home. Would there be any scope to hit more birds with the one stone? There might have been an opportunity to include, in the ‘creative’ approach, an incentive for culinary businesses to buy more British produced ingredients, at wholesale. It would contribute to the creation of demand for quality British produce ahead of what is likely to be a challenging period since that the current government seems hell bent on railroading us towards a no-deal departure from the EU.

With life slowly getting back on track, epidemiologists warn of a second coronavirus wave. Hopefully, most sectors and industries would have establish protocols and systems that could be swiftly reverted to in such an event.

I sincerely hope that the future holds a new balance between the food-service sector and domestic consumption. With certain supermarkets admirably pledging their support for the production standards British consumers have become accustomed to and expect, only time will tell if all players in the game will be on board in ensuring the best for British consumers, whatever their circumstances.

In the face of the looming threat to primary production in the UK, Covid-19 has facilitated the rediscovering of a taste for locally produced, locally sourced quality foodstuffs, putting the brakes on the runaway carriages of certain political agendas. Long may that be the case.

Stay safe everyone.