Peter Fairs farming column: ‘Farm shops boomed in lockdown’

Those of us lucky enough to enjoy the Essex countryside knew exactly what he was referring to while we enjoyed this year’s September “Indian Summer”.

With almost all of the 2020 crops now harvested, local farmers are busy trying to establish their rapeseed and cereal crops for next year.

Apart from the usual farmers’ problems of weather, political issues and the banning of most crop protection medicines, this has been the year of coronavirus.

It would be fair to say this wretched virus has not had quite the same devastating effect on those of us involved in agriculture as it has on teachers, management and employees in other areas of the economy.

There have even been some businesses that have benefitted in some bizarre way, but how has covid-19 specifically affected farming and what changes will it have created for the future?

In the early days of lockdown, there was a sudden realisation that the number one priority in life is food and that comes from farmers.

Panic buying led to empty supermarket shelves and queues reminiscent of a Zimbabwean town centre of 20 years ago.

The panic subsided, but one hopes that recognition of the importance of food will survive.

The effect on farming was unevenly felt.

Farm shops boomed and although that spike in trade may have levelled out now, it is hoped the interest in locally-produced food and personal service will continue.

Face to face contact (even with a mask) between producer and consumer must be good for both parties.

An example of the variation in fortunes caused to the markets by the virus happened with our own trading situation in Quinoa.

The outlet which supplies large volumes to supermarkets had contracted to take a sizeable tonnage.

With customers changing to online shopping, the supermarket demand slumped alarmingly while our smaller outlet, which sells online and to farm shops etc, just could not meet the amazing demand.

I’m sure we can all think of many of these unexpected spikes or troughs in trading fortunes we endured through the pandemic.

The question now is how many of the changes will endure and how should farmers plan and adapt?

My suggestions would be:

• Maintain the dialogue between producer and consumer which has been boosted through increased numbers visiting the countryside and shoppers buying directly from the farmer.
• As far as possible, plan for the unexpected by maintaining flexibility in marketing.
• Specialise Yes, put all your eggs in one basket, No.
• Accept the “cashless society” concept, even if you felt uncomfortable initially. Cheque writing and weekly visits to the bank now belong in the memory bank.
• Drive tractors between field and farm carefully. Fit dashcams to all farm vehicles. Dog walkers and untrained cyclists now rule the road, but you could get the blame.