British mushroom growers have reacted quickly to a damning report into their industry.
The report, by research body HRI Warwick and sponsored by the Horticultural Development Council, described a shrinking industry likely to come under increasing pressure from imports in the years ahead (The Grocer, February 12, p47).
The response from growers to the challenge will be promotional and efficiency drives, said John Hall, farms director of the UK’s largest producer Monaghan Mushrooms. “We produce a quality crop for the UK at a competitive price, and which is consistently available seven days a week, 52 weeks per year and with a same-day freshness which
cannot be matched,” said Hall. The UK industry still accounted for a 53% market share valued at £170m a year, he added.
The HDC is facilitating discussions between the industry and other horticulture sectors to see if lessons could be learnt about promoting the crop. A meeting with a leading soft fruit producer organisation and marketing group will take place this month.
Costs would also be under the microscope. “We are in the process of establishing an independent benchmarking scheme that will ascertain the true costs of production and become a template for growers to really judge their efficiency and target where further improvements can be made,” said Hall.
He said that within a year the mushroom industry would have made real progress towards robotic picking, seen by HRI Warwick and their colleagues at Warwick University as one solution to spiralling labour costs and increasing throughput.
Irish growers are currently gathering support among their Dutch and British counterparts for a joint-funded generic promotional campaign to be run in the UK.
David Shapley
The report, by research body HRI Warwick and sponsored by the Horticultural Development Council, described a shrinking industry likely to come under increasing pressure from imports in the years ahead (The Grocer, February 12, p47).
The response from growers to the challenge will be promotional and efficiency drives, said John Hall, farms director of the UK’s largest producer Monaghan Mushrooms. “We produce a quality crop for the UK at a competitive price, and which is consistently available seven days a week, 52 weeks per year and with a same-day freshness which
cannot be matched,” said Hall. The UK industry still accounted for a 53% market share valued at £170m a year, he added.
The HDC is facilitating discussions between the industry and other horticulture sectors to see if lessons could be learnt about promoting the crop. A meeting with a leading soft fruit producer organisation and marketing group will take place this month.
Costs would also be under the microscope. “We are in the process of establishing an independent benchmarking scheme that will ascertain the true costs of production and become a template for growers to really judge their efficiency and target where further improvements can be made,” said Hall.
He said that within a year the mushroom industry would have made real progress towards robotic picking, seen by HRI Warwick and their colleagues at Warwick University as one solution to spiralling labour costs and increasing throughput.
Irish growers are currently gathering support among their Dutch and British counterparts for a joint-funded generic promotional campaign to be run in the UK.
David Shapley
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