The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Meat sector urged to ‘work together’
Scotland’s meat wholesalers have warned farmers and retailers that wholeindustry collaboration will be essential as the red meat sector faces unprecedented pressures.
In a pre-royal Highland Show message, Ian Bentley, the new president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), said 2022 and beyond would go down as being among the most challenging periods for meat production since BSE and foot and mouth.
“Rising costs, continuing labour shortages and the challenge to hit net-zero targets head a hit list of pressures for farmers, processors and retailers to address over the coming months,” he said.
And while he added there was “much to celebrate” at next week’s show in terms of the quality and provenance of Scotland’s red meat, the spiralling operational costs, energy hikes and supplies crisis facing all parts of the industry could not be ignored.
“SAMW member companies have been battling to maintain staffing levels for at least the past 18 months, with no sign of an easing in pressures in this area,” he said.
“This has inevitably raised labour costs, leading to depressed processing margins which has been exacerbated by the energy cost surge of recent months.
“I know many others are in the same place, including farmers, but that doesn’t change our sector’s bottomline returns. If ever we needed to work together as a whole-industry supply chain, then this is it.”
He called on farmers, processors, retailers and government to talk to and properly understand each other, and added there would be no prizes for allowing any one part of the supply chain to benefit at the expense of another.
He added: “As processors, we desperately need strong livestock supplies at one end and a rewarding retail chain at the other. We appreciate that farmers need the same to apply to their businesses.
“Sometimes, we feel it is an uphill battle to secure support and understanding so we can collectively work together to maximise our sector’s potential to the benefit of producers, workers and consumers.”
He also highlighted the price rises on inspection costs and the potential risks attached to the UK’S light-touch approach to import checks. He added: “Meat imported into the UK enjoys unrestricted access to our market. This provides our competitors with a commercial advantage and leaves our livestock prey to major disease risks which could easily be avoided.”