Hope for some farmers as consumers turn to direct sales

Farmers selling meat and produce directly to customers look set to benefit from increased demand over the next few months if national food supply issues continue.

Driver and labour shortages have resulted in chaos at fuel pumps and gaps on supermarket shelves, with the pig sector in particular difficulty.

The government’s recent offer of temporary visas for 5,000 overseas HGV drivers, including 300 immediate visas for tanker drivers, has so far only been taken up by 127 EU fuel drivers.

See also: So you want to… sell produce at a farmers market?

With a big family Christmas on many people’s wish lists, after last year’s disruption and upset, food availability is a key concern. 

For direct farmer sellers, however, the supply chain is far shorter and, therefore, more flexible, said Rob Copley, chairman of the Farm Retail Association.

Covid-19 drove customers to shop locally and changed many shopping habits permanently, with demand at farm shops still up on pre-pandemic levels. 

Smaller retailers can also set their own prices and stick to them, rather than the fluctuation seen with chain supermarkets, he said.

“There are some issues with seasonal labour due to a combination of the pandemic and Brexit, but where there are staffing issues, farm retailers are used to adapting and can do so quickly,” said Mr Copley.

Case study: Treway Turkeys, Cornwall

Kate Martin at Treway Farm, St Austell, Cornwall, has seen an unprecedented number of orders come in already for her free-range bronze Christmas turkeys, up 400% on the same time in 2020.

The strong demand is a combination of Covid-19-led customers from last year returning for the quality product, and new panic-buyers following the national supply issues, said Mrs Martin, who is also chairwoman of the Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association.

Along with husband Will, she has reared 1,400 turkeys and 100 geese this year and expects about 1,000 customers to collect orders on farm in the run-up to Christmas Day.

The Martin family

“People love coming to the farm and feeling like they’re a part of it,” she said. “Our main business is local, with people travelling for up to about an hour and a half, and we also do nationwide courier delivery.”

There are fewer turkeys in the national flock this year, but there are more farm fresh birds available on the ground, she said.

“Stock control is going to be the key to success this year for turkey farmers,” Mrs Martin said.

“We place our turkey orders in February and we have to make that work. Some people are going to miss out, especially if they are phoning in December, so if you want one, find your local Golden Turkey farmer and get your orders in.”

PYO pumpkins

Labour and distribution issues have reportedly affected pumpkin harvesting and supply to retailers, which could encourage more people to use pick-your-own sites.

At Strawberry Fields in Lifton, Devon, the Mounce family has planted its biggest pumpkin patch to date (4ha) to satisfy demand.

They have already booked more tickets than at the same point in 2020 for their annual half-term event for families to visit, pick their pumpkin and learn about how they were grown.

The Mounce family, Strawberry Fields © Matt Austin Images

The business includes beef cattle, sheep, chickens, fruit, vegetables and pick-your-own crops, as well as a farm shop and restaurant.

Operations director Laura Mounce said: “Farm shops are in a really good position because we’re the complete supply chain, so as long as we can keep growing and producing enough, it’s all okay.”

She has already had a lot of enquiries about placing orders for food and meals for Christmas, with people looking forward to a celebration with friends and family, and maintaining loyalty since the Covid-19 lockdowns.

“As bad as it was for everyone, Covid-19 was a chance for local businesses to shine. This is because, as an independent business, we could make those decisions and change things daily if we needed to,” she said.

“We did everything we could to make sure people were fed and had everything they needed, and I think people appreciated that.”

The business has about 150 full-time staff and though those positions are filled, Mrs Mounce acknowledged there is a shortage of labour across the UK.

“If you have a good team, you need to look after them and make sure they feel valued and appreciated,” she said.

“Everybody is finding it harder to source those people at the moment.”

Surge in online sales

Yorkshire-based sustainable online meat retailer Farmison & Co has reported a surge in Christmas orders from customers concerned about supermarket availability.

The company works closely with more than 40 farms across the county and in the north of England, meaning it has very short supply lines.

It has seen orders increase by 150% on 2020, with new customers doubling compared with last Christmas.

Demand is strong for turkey, ham, beef, pigs in blankets and cranberry sauce.

John Pallagi, founding CEO of Farmison & Co, said: “The current crisis, on the back of the challenges thrown up by Brexit and Covid-19, once again shows the immense value of this country’s army of local food suppliers, and how they are vital for the health of consumers and the British economy.”