It is no wonder grower confidence in England and Wales is at an all-time low.
Commercial growers have probably faced more challenges in the last fours years than the previous two decades.
There has been a constant fight for more margins, Covid-19, a dramatic rise in energy prices-which has, of course, affected glasshouse growers in a significant way, more frequent extreme weather and labour shortages to name just a few.
This has been highlighted in the NFU’s recent Confidence Survey, which shows that short and mid-term confidence is at its lowest level since surveying began in 2010. This had also meant production intentions have plummeted with all farming sectors expecting to decrease production over the next year, according to the survey.
The survey also showed that business profitability has fallen, with 65% of respondents saying their profits are declining or their business may not even survive.
The big question now is what can be done to build grower confidence back up again?
Glasshouse growers have seen a reduction in energy prices so far in 2024, but the impact of what has happened will have a lasting effect.
By February 2022, 60-70% of growers in the Lea Valley, for example, still had not planted any crop in their glasshouses, with the Lea Valley Growers Association sayimg ‘it did not make financial sense to plant’, meaning many would not have had the turnover they were used to that year and possibly for 2023 also.
Re-investing in new technology will allow you some efficiencies but not all growers are now in the position to do that, especially in the short to medium term. Why would they take that risk?
What growers need is some confidence that there will be stability and then confidence will grow. But at the moment there is no sign of that.
The NFU helping secure a five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker Scheme will go a small way towards raising confidence.
The government has committed to making 43,000 visas available for the horticulture sector in 2025.
But ultimately, growers want to know that they have a sustainable platform for the future and at the moment that is not the case. No political party has so far put farming as one of its key commitments but surely it needs to be somewhere near the top of any government’s agenda if we want to secure a sustainable food supply chain, one that supports jobs, investment, innovation and research and development.
Which political party will take up that challenge?
To read more from “The Commercial Greenhouse Grower” subscribe today – find out more here.
