Wal-Mart’s Asda has announced a new training scheme covering fresh produce growers believed to be the first of its type covering the whole supply chain in the UK, according to the Scotsman newspaper.
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The scheme, which is costing £350,000 (US$ ) could be a model for boosting returns for farmers and growers as well as breaking down barriers created by confrontation with retailers.
Dr Chris Brown, the retail group’s agricultural development manager, said that, depending on the response to this pilot scheme, it could be rolled out to all the company’s suppliers.
“We have got to look at better ways of communicating throughout the food supply chain. This produce change initiative had to happen and it has to happen in other areas,” he said.
The initiative, which involves the Scottish Agricultural College and Taypack Potatoes, is consistent with National Farmers Union Scotland and SAC moves to strengthen links throughout the food chain.
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By GlobalDataProfessor George Marshall, the assistant principal of the SAC, said that while much of its recent work had been linked to CAP reform and related legislation, such as land management contracts, it was clear that more effort had to be ploughed into improved understanding of the supply chain.
“In the last few years we have perhaps been concentrating on the meat and livestock business which is why we are pleased to be involved with this latest initiative. It helps redress the balance,” he said.
“SAC is devoted to the transfer of knowledge for the benefit of the industry and the livelihood of those involved,” he said. “Having farmers and growers understand the complexities of the supply chain and also to encourage them to collaborate and work with the final customer is so important.”
“We are also helping them to diversify their businesses and to ensure that these other activities are also really making money and how they can improve the profitability of their businesses,” he said. “This training activity explores all of those opportunities for them to look carefully at what they are doing and offers clues to success.”
“One of the most important elements we have to consider is the lack of communication throughout the food chain which causes misunderstanding and we have to bring the individuals into the same room and enable them to understand how each sector goes about its business,” he said.
Graeme Ligertwood, who heads the SAC’s training services development group which is largely funded by the European Social Fund, also admits that the fresh produce area, including the potato sector, has tended to be neglected.
But the Scottish element of the project, which involves around 70 potato producers linked to the Taypack group – based at Inchture in Perthshire – is expected to reverse this by targeting rural development through training.
“The fact that so many funding organisations, supplying companies and Asda have recognised the need for further training and are committed to making it succeed is testimony to the importance we all attach to people development and the scheme,” Brown said.
