Mr. Brian Rushe:

We have had no joy or success in highlighting our issues with the CCPC. That is the bottom line. If the Department is right about it working, why do we have fewer than 100 horticulture growers? The decline in the liquid milk sector could almost be coupled with that. All of our horticulture growers’ product is in the Irish market, so they are totally exposed to the circa 90% dominance of the retail sector by the big players. That compression is landing at growers' doors. If they were being protected, we would have more than 100 growers today and the decline would be stopped. As such, the CCPC is not working. In our experience, the commission’s sole mandate seems to be to ensure that consumers have low prices but it is not looking after the producers who are providing the consumers with that food. There has to be more balance and fairness in the supply chain.