Retailers urged to help realign food markets

CORONAVIRUS: Scottish and Westminster governments consider how suppliers can adjust to different demands

The governments at Westminster and Holyrood have been told retailers could do more to help food markets realign as suppliers adjust to radically different demands during the coronavirus crisis.

In a letter to ministers with responsibility for agriculture in the UK and Scotland, NFU Scotland (NFUS) president Andrew McCornick said he had been impressed by the way the supply chain had been innovative in rebalancing lost export and food service markets with the unprecedented demand in the retail sector.

However, he added: “It is more important than ever that guaranteed contracts, payment on delivery and price transparency are instilled in dealings between retailers and their suppliers to ensure fairness through the whole supply chain and back to the primary producer, so we can all meet the challenges and responsibilities presented by Covid-19.”

Mr McCornick also called for governments to help ensure farmers and growers can continue to produce “with confidence”.

He said: “Our industry is playing a vital role in keeping the nation fed and watered through this crisis and, in recent weeks, NFUS has been in daily correspondence with both of our governments, as well as organisations representing the whole of the food and drink industry, to ensure that the supply chain continues to function effectively.

“Fairness, transparency and trust throughout the supply chain are not new issues to NFUS: much work has been done on this before the impact of the Covid-19 virus, and their importance has fresh focus as our sector plays its part in the wider societal effort to meet the challenges presented by Covid-19.

“Over generations, we as primary producers have demonstrated that agriculture is uniquely placed to overcome adversity, volatility and crisis, and the national effort to overcome the worst impacts of the Covid-19 virus is no different.”

Our industry is playing a vital role in keeping the nation fed and watered through this crisis.

ANDREW MCCORNICK NFUS

Picture: Shutterstock. Food that would have been consumed in restaurants and burger chains is being redirected to retail outlets.