Celebrities back #GetFairAboutFarming campaign

Almost half (49%) of British fruit and vegetable farmers say it’s likely they will go out of business in the next 12 months, with many (75%) blaming supermarkets and their buyers as a leading threat to their livelihoods.

That’s according to new research from Riverford, with one in five (22%) reporting having suffered a loss of crop due to cancelled orders from supermarkets, 29% with no explanation, and 29% having seen supermarkets failing to pay them within 30 days.

Supermarkets and their buyers are accused of pursuing cheaper food alternatives from overseas, while farmers also criticise fruit and veg specifications for being too hard and complex.

Aston spoke to Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford.