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WISHART VISITS POTATO FARMERS TO HEAR OF CONCERNS ABOUT FUTURE OF CONTRACTS WITH ALBERT BARTLETT
The Scottish National Party’s Mr Pete Wishart MP, Member of Parliament for Perth & North Perthshire visited Bruce Farms, an important agricultural enterprise in his constituency, on Thursday 12 December 2013.
Mr Wishart met with Geoff Bruce and other potato farmers to hear of their concerns regarding the future of their contracts with Albert Bartlett, the successful potato brand.
Speaking in advance of the meeting, Mr Wishart said:
“There is a great deal of concern amongst potato farmers - including those in my constituency - who supply Albert Barlett, that there is a very real threat that the company is giving active consideration to moving its processing business to England, a move that would put a big question mark over the future for Bartlett’s Scottish suppliers.
“As I understand the situation, Albert Bartlett operates a processing plant near Airdrie and are in the planning stages for a new plant alongside the existing one. Serious concerns have been raised, however, about contamination of land in that area by the spreading of human waste and this situation, if not addressed, could result in Albert Bartlett moving the whole processing side of their business to Boston in Lincolnshire.
“I can quite appreciate my constituents’ concerns about this possibility and both I and John Swinney MSP will be raising the matter with Richard Lochhead, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs.
“Perthshire farmers deliver some of the finest produce in the country and I would be very disappointed indeed if problems affecting aspects of the supply chain far removed from my constituents should destabilise the future of their businesses.
“I hope that action can be taken, promptly and effectively, to address the concerns my constituents have raised with me.”
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