THE current crisis over milk and also to some degree beef and lamb prices shows that we need a new approach in supporting the agri-food supply chain in Northern Ireland.
In the last number of years, NIIRTA has extended its membership to local companies who want to supply local produce to our grocery retail and wholesale members. To help local suppliers promote their products we provide them with free advertising in our magazine The Retailer and organise regular networking events with key decision-makers in the independent retail sector.
Our members source nearly one hundred percent of their meat and poultry from local farmers and processors and are committed to sourcing as much food as they can locally. NIIRTA strongly encourages its members to sell milk, meat, poultry and other products at a price that is fair to both the farmer and consumer.
NIIRTA is committed to supporting local producers and our members have been the route to market for successful companies like Mash Direct whose very first retail outlets were two of our members in Dundonald.
While the issue of milk prices is a European and Global challenge, which requires a joint approach from Stormont, Whitehall and Brussels, locally, DARD needs to do more to improve communication and partnership across the entire agri-food supply chain in Northern Ireland. Minister O’Neill needs to bring together key players in wholesale, retail, production, processing and farming in a new partnership forum to address the challenges facing the supply chain.
Such a partnership approach can only be positive for all concerned and is a move away from the crisis management approach to challenges in the supply chain that we have seen in recent years. NIIRTA had an excellent meeting with Fair Price Farming NI and we will be meeting with the DARD minister, Assembly ARD committee chair and the Agri-Food Board to discuss new partnership opportunities.
In conclusion the president of the Ulster Farmers Union, Ian Marshal summed it up very well last week when he said, “As a nation the UK needs to rise to the challenge of becoming more self-sufficient in food – and that involves consumers, processors, retailers” and that “There has to be a new focus to support the UK supply base, and those who provide the safe, affordable and quality food the consumer wants to see on retailers’ shelves”.
:: Glyn Roberts is chief executive of the Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Assocation (NIIRTA).
