IFA president John Bryan has said that retailers who fail to address escalating production costs by not returning higher prices to producers are playing Russian roulette with farm viability in the interests of preserving their own fat margins. This cannot continue, he said.

“Retailers, as key stakeholders in the food supply chain, have a responsibility to producers and to the future of the agriculture and food industry in this country and must recognise the difficulties that farmers are currently faced with, by ensuring they receive a fair price for produce which covers their costs of production plus a margin,” Mr Bryan added.