Fears price war will hurt vegetable growers

VEGETABLE growers could be forced out of business, if a price-cutting war erupts between the country’s supermarket chains, the Irish Farmers Association warned yesterday.

Superquinn earlier announced a pricing for vegetables this weekend which includes a bundled offer of four items for one euro from a selection of a cabbage, a turnip, 1kg of carrots or 1kg of onions, and 80% off new season Irish cooking apples.

But the IFA fresh produce co-ordinator PJ Jones said the decision by the retail chain to discount key vegetable lines by between 50% and 75% for two weeks is a “senseless marketing gimmick”. Farmers fear it will lead to large-scale instability and grower losses in the industry.