Waitrose raises prices paid to egg producers

Waitrose has announced its commitment to British farming by increasing the prices it pays to its 119 Columbian Blacktail egg producers.

The price increase, which follows an earlier increase in April, will help the free range and organic producers to cope with the increasing feed costs.

Heather Jenkins, Waitrose Director of Agricultural Strategy, said: “We believe that it’s vital to pay producers prices that bolster the sustainability of their businesses as they face rising costs.

“We pioneered the producer group model under which we work very closely with our farmers, ensuring the prices we pay take into account costs of production. After a great deal of hard work, this as a further development of that model for our egg producers: We’re going to support them with this pricing move, by helping properly benchmark costs and by providing them with the tools to drive on farm efficiency. This is priority work for us.”

John Ridout, who farms 8,000 organic Columbian Blacktails in Cornwall, said: “We work in true partnership with Waitrose and this is reflected in their support to help meet our increased costs.”

Source: Farmers Weekly