In the Netherlands, several agricultural organisations, including the NFO and the LTO, have for some time been holding talks with the Dutch retail trade called 'Value Creation in Supply Chains'.
Here, supermarkets, processors, farmers and market gardeners work together to develop the supply chain. The farmer is a business partner with whom a distinctive long-term product is developed, for which the consumer is willing to pay a higher price. In this approach, the farmer is not an interchangeable supplier of a raw material. At the same time, a business school is being created that combines the knowledge of all parts of the supply chain. Participants in the business school are taught to apply a supply chain approach in their daily practice.
All chains with which the sectors are in discussion indicate the added value of fruit from the area and want as many Dutch products on the shelves as possible.
BUT WHERE IS THE DUTCH RASPBERRY?
In a note dated 9 June 2002 entitled 'Where can you find Dutch raspberries on shop shelves?' the NFO stated that 'however, the image of today's shop shelves does not always correspond to this intention'.
THESE FINE WORDS AND GOOD INTENTIONS SEEM AT THE MOMENT TO BE EMPTY PROMISES FOR THE DOMESTIC RASPBERRY.
NFO (Dutch Fruit Growers Organisation)
According to NFO 'a visit to several supermarkets, Spar (Driscolls), Coop, Jumbo and Aldi, shows that only foreign products are chosen. Portugal is the favourite and not a single Dutch raspberry can be found. This while the Dutch raspberry is widely available at the moment."
NFO demanded explanations from the various supermarket chains and urged the chains to 'prevent this from happening in the future'.
