Farmers agree UK is 'complacent' over food supplies |
| Wednesday, 04 February 2009 | |
 The National Farmers' Union (NFU) has backed a report from the Chatham House think tank, which suggests the UK may be taking its food supplies for granted.According to the report, weaknesses in food supply - including limited research and development - throw the UK's food security into doubt and could limit the availability of items such as milk and fruit. NFU president Peter Kendall said: "This is a major political issue which has rightly received some substantial attention from government, academics and the media. "However, too often the analysis is focused on the global dimension without proper reflection on what needs to be done at home. "A number of pressures, such as greater global competition, protectionism and a slow-down in agricultural productivity, mean the UK cannot afford to take its food supply for granted." He added that better indicators of performance in the sector are needed, as recommended by the NFU two years ago. "This is hard evidence of the need for a new paradigm in food retailing that is based on long-term strategic supply chains rather than short-term competition and price cutting," Kendall said. Just before Christmas, the NFU in Scotland urged large grocery retailers to show suppliers more respect because irresponsible agreements could hit food security. Related Articles
Bookmark
Email This
Comments (0)
 Write comment
|
Show/Hide comments
Show/Hide comment form
© Metropolis International Group Ltd 2009