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04/03/23 Farming Today This Week: Sheep and the Windsor Framework, the Dutch farms facing repossession, more on salad shortages.

Charlotte Smith meets a group of fruit and salad growers visiting the UK from Belgium, to hear their views on our empty supermarket shelves.

"If the customer is willing to pay the price, we have produce available." Philippe Appeltans, CEO of the Belgian salad and fruit co-operative, BelOrta.

Charlotte Smith discusses how growing and selling on the continent compares to the UK. It comes as salad shortages continue on supermarket shelves here, blamed by retailers on bad weather in Morocco and Spain and by growers on retailers refusal to pay a realistic price for home grown produce.

Dutch farmers are protesting over plans to cut ammonia and nitrogen oxide emissions by 50% by 2030. The Dutch Government wants to reduce livestock numbers near protected countryside to reduce emissions. It has said it will force buyouts of the 3,000 worst polluting farms, if voluntary measures fail.

Sheep farmers in Northern Ireland say the new Windsor Framework is not changing enough. Despite reducing red tape for people travelling with pets, problems for livestock movements remain unresolved.

Pigs farmers are still losing money on every pig they sell for slaughter, despite record high prices. The latest figures from the industry body the AHDB show farmers have been losing money on pigs since late 2020, although losses have dropped from a high of Β£58 a pig to Β£17 a pig by the end of last year. DEFRA is due to report back on its review of the pork supply chain soon.

Presented by Charlotte Smith and produced by Beatrice Fenton.

25 minutes

Broadcast

  • Sat 4 Mar 2023 06:30

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