Frustrated potato farmers reporting “severe” payment deductions from processors and packers must be given more transparency on why they are being penalised, farmers’ leaders say.
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has written to processors and packers calling for clarity in the supply chain, claiming some farmers are facing cuts of up to 30% in payments with little or no explanation.
NFU potato forum chairman Alex Godfrey warned it could cause long-term harm to the sector.
“We exposed this issue in the NFU’s Catalyst for Change report and it is absolutely critical that growers get full, clear, itemised breakdowns of deductions so they can understand where issues are occurring on farm,” said Mr Godfrey. “It is not good enough to expect growers to simply accept levels of deductions like this without reasonable explanation.”
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