Supermarkets slam "food stockpiling" suggestion by government.

[vetran]

http://www.britishsummerfruits.co.uk...rsonReport.pdf

Over the last twenty years the consumption of Soft Fruit in
the UK has grown very significantly. In 1996 some 67,000
tonnes of strawberries and 13,000 tonnes of raspberries
were purchased by UK consumers; by 2015 the figures
were 168,000 tonnes (+150%) and 29,000 tonnes (+123%)
respectively (Source: DEFRA). “Other Berries” also increased
substantially, from 12,000 tonnes in 1996 to some 50,000
tonnes in 2015 (+316%).
▶ At the present time Soft Fruit represents 22% of all
consumer fruit purchases in the UK (Source: Kantar).
▶ Over the last twenty years the production of Soft Fruit in
the UK has developed very significantly, from some 60,000
tonnes of strawberries, raspberries and “Other Berries” in
1996 to over 140,000 tonnes in 2015 (Source: DEFRA). This
represents a 131% increase in home-grown production.

So growing it in the UK is no problem, production has been ramped up successfully.

Luckily due to Trump's policies in the US & Brexit has made people realise labour isn't getting any cheaper. Combine this with better farming methods and soon soft fruit will be completely automated.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40473583...-its-robo-hand

this is the future, we will be at the front!

[PurpleGorilla]

I've absolutely no idea what your pure logic might be for this statement. Could you expand?

The CAP is there to subsidize inefficient small farmers. It doesn't lower prices in any way. It supports and protects EU farmers from the harsh winds of global free trade. However, as has been said, places like Africa get special dispensations and you can see a lot of their stuff gets on our shelves.

What I mean is that Africa’s unit price is not as cheap as EUs due to CAP.

[sasguru]

http://www.britishsummerfruits.co.uk...rsonReport.pdf




So growing it in the UK is no problem, production has been ramped up successfully.

Luckily due to Trump's policies in the US & Brexit has made people realise labour isn't getting any cheaper. Combine this with better farming methods and soon soft fruit will be completely automated.

https://www.fastcompany.com/40473583...-its-robo-hand

this is the future, we will be at the front!

Who's "we"? You aren't going to be at the front of anything. You're and your fellow cretins are too thick.

[PurpleGorilla]

Supermarkets slam "food stockpiling" suggestion by government.

I agree, in reality we're probably not. I was being deliberately provocative in my earlier post and for that I apologise.



Like Cirrus, I don't get your reasoning on the unit cost price in eg Kenya being impacted by CAP. But it is hugely complex.

Take the example previously of beans from Kenya. They're all over Tescos and Sainsbury's so clearly they are both a cost-effective and consistent source of supply for two of our largest supermarket chains. Do we reduce the CAP on UK bean growers? How will that impact our own producers if they find it even more difficult to sell within the UK? How will Kenya's producers react, will they all turn to growing beans and thereby reducing other food sources within Kenya? Kenya already has a food crisis, will this create additional antagonism towards the EU/UK for further reducing food supplies within Africa and create the notion that the UK is bleeding Kenya of food? Will it create an impression that the UK is forcing "trickle-down" economics on Kenya?

Like you, I also believe that improving quality of life there will reduce the loss of life in the Med. I'd prefer to see more movement from us in preventing the flight of capital by African leaders, and in us reducing the sale of arms to dictators and warlords though, before leaping on the CAP as a primary source.

Thanks for the apology - no need - but thanks.

See immediate above post wrt CAP.

Green Beans is an interesting one; easy to pack densely and cost effective to fly to the UK. Other items are less favourable. Cane sugar is more expensive than CAP sugarbeet.

Seems a shame to have food shortages in Kenya when they are growing so many roses. At least with other crops the workers might get to eat some of the rejects.

I think that’s an excellent idea about hitting the capital flow. Ethical banking is something the UK could undertake. We could become the world leader in it after brexit. How does that sound?

[Bean]

I've absolutely no idea what your pure logic might be for this statement. Could you expand?

The CAP is there to subsidize inefficient small farmers. It doesn't lower prices in any way. It supports and protects EU farmers from the harsh winds of global free trade. However, as has been said, places like Africa get special dispensations and you can see a lot of their stuff gets on our shelves.

Interesting, that you think that. Perhaps it was originally envisaged as such, but it far from that objective now;
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/u...-a7815871.html

Perhaps the original objective(s) have changed?

https://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/sit...reshold_en.pdf
^^ sets out 'small farmers scheme' reporting (and those not implementing) threshold limits as <£1250

Defra, UK - CAP Payments Search
^^ search for <£1251 and you get 12863 results, totalling £9.6 Million
but search for >£1251 and you get 142409 results, totalling £3.3 Billion


Two interesting outliers that jump off the page are;

RSPB receiving £3.4 Million, and
Arla foods (Leeds) receiving £1.3 Million

Are those two organisations inefficient small farmers?
I think not.

[darmstadt]

Lord Rothermere of Daily Mail fame receives £29,000 from the CAP The Queen received £1,183,508 over the last two years for privately owning the Sandrigham estate (figures are 2014.)

[Bean]

Lord Rothermere of Daily Mail fame receives £29,000 from the CAP The Queen received £1,183,508 over the last two years for privately owning the Sandrigham estate (figures are 2014.)

Indeed, some more inefficient small farmers to add to the list of examples...

Still, I'm sure the CAP system will 'reform itself' and deffo not remain at status quo, due in no small part, to France...
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info...ntry-fr_en.pdf
"In the period to 2020, the new CAP will invest about EUR 63 billion in France's farming sector and rural areas."


https://www.politico.eu/article/emma...icy-eu-budget/
"Under the current budget, a massive €58 billion a year, or some 40 percent of the EU budget, goes to CAP payments, but 80 percent of that money heads to only 20 percent of farms."

The Pareto principle strikes again!

[Cirrus]

My waist measurement suggests we can afford the CAP

Lord Rothermere of Daily Mail fame receives £29,000 from the CAP

But it's all to do with subsidizing farming and/or people who maintain the countryside. It's not intended to allow EU producers to undercut imports. Control of imports is through tariffs and quotas. It's an anathema to free trade ideologists like JRM but I can't see a problem. As far as I can see, food (and drink) is highly affordable (if you factor out punitive taxes). I know there are people who don't feed their children properly but that's part of a quite separate failure of government and politics.

[Bean]

The CAP is there to subsidize inefficient small farmers. It doesn't lower prices in any way. It supports and protects EU farmers from the harsh winds of global free trade.

But it's all to do with subsidizing farming and/or people who maintain the countryside. It's not intended to allow EU producers to undercut imports. - SNIP.

Ok, so now it seems the objective(s) of CAP (in your posts) have shifted:

Should the RSPB or the Queen, for example, receive any money?
Is CAP currently working as intended, in your opinion?
Is it achieving the founding objective(s)?
Does it need reform?
Will it be reformed?

My answers to the Qs above would be;
No, No, Partially, Yes, No.

[AtW]

UK is on course to become a Banana Republic without bananas.

HTH