SAMW calls for meat supply chain collaboration
Ian Bentley, the president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) has warned of further labour shortages and production cost increases, stating that the meat supply chain must work together to tackle the issues.
According to SAMW, the year 2022 and beyond will go down as being among the most challenging periods for Scotland’s red meat sector since the industry faced the foot-and-mouth outbreaks of 2001 and 2007 and the emergence of BSE in the 1980s.
Bentley explained that rising costs, continuing labour shortages and the challenge to hit net zero targets, head a hit list of pressures for Scottish farmers, processors and retailers to address over the coming months.
He said: “SAMW member companies have been battling to maintain staffing levels for at least the past 18-months, if not longer, with no sign of an easing in pressures in this area. This has inevitably raised labour costs, leading to depressed processing margins which has been exacerbated by the energy cost surge of recent months. I know many others are in the same place, including farmers, but that doesn’t change our sector’s bottom-line returns.”
A unified approach
Bentley called for the whole industry supply chain to work together. He said: “We have a great product in Scotland and good lines of communication between the representative bodies that seek to drive the industry forward.
“While each sector will obviously seek to look after its own in the face of such a challenging period, there will be no prizes for allowing any one part of the supply chain to benefit at the expense of another.”
Import barriers
Bentley added that attention also needs to be given to “the big rises” being applied to inspection costs and the potential risks attached to the UK’s approach to import checks.
He explained: “While our members face highly complicated and costly export checks, meat imported into the UK enjoys unrestricted access to our market. This provides our competitors with a commercial advantage and leaves our livestock prey to major disease risks which could easily be avoided.”
Commenting on the return of the Royal Highland Show, Bentley said that he hoped the event will enable SAMW to “kick start a new round of meaningful discussions, geared to addressing the enormous challenges that lie ahead.”
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