RUMOURS AND misleading accusations about Tesco’s relations with its Irish suppliers are damaging the livelihood of farmers, a group of 25 leading vegetable and salad growers has claimed.
The group yesterday issued a statement strongly defending Tesco and said claims that huge quantities of produce were being shipped to Northern Ireland for processing were “grossly exaggerated and misleading”.
The growers, mostly from north Dublin and Co Meath, say that they have not in any way been disadvantaged by Tesco’s decision earlier this year to move a major vegetable consolidation contract from Dublin Meath Growers (DMG) to Total Produce.
DMG last month blamed Tesco for its demise after the retailer withdrew its business just two months after DMG opened a new €5 million facility last year. As a result, employment dropped from 80 to just two or three voluntary members, its representatives told an Oireachtas committee.
However, the group behind yesterday’s statement says rumours and untruths about the relationship between Tesco and Irish growers are damaging their business with the multinational and causing them serious problems.
The growers say their arrangements with Tesco are open and transparent and have worked to the advantage of farmers. The retailer has given firm commitments on the volume of produce it will buy and the price, and these commitments have been honoured and, in some cases, exceeded. They say the “vast majority” of produce is consolidated and packed at a facility in north Co Dublin and from there it is delivered to Tesco stores across Ireland.
Cathal Lenehan, a cabbage farmer from Co Meath who signed the letter, said Tesco was paying a fair price for his produce and he was happy. He was getting the same price now as he did when he supplied through DMG. “I never made a fortune before and I’m not making one now.”