On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100
The Real Doctor wrote:
On 30/08/11 11:48, d wrote:
Because supermarkets won't pay them the real value of what they produce.
The farmers should call their bluff - then watch Tesco et al panic as they
try and source basic commodities for the entire country from abroad.

What have you got against the free market, comrade?

Withholding goods until you can get a better price IS free market econonics
you muppet.

B2003

On 30/08/11 12:08, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100
The Real wrote:

What have you got against the free market, comrade?

Withholding goods until you can get a better price IS free market econonics

So is paying what the market will stand.

Ian

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:14:34 +0100
The Real Doctor wrote:
On 30/08/11 12:08, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100
The Real wrote:

What have you got against the free market, comrade?

Withholding goods until you can get a better price IS free market econonics

So is paying what the market will stand.

There is no proper market if there's a guaranteed subsidy.

B2003

On 30/08/2011 12:08, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100
The Real wrote:
On 30/08/11 11:48, d wrote:
Because supermarkets won't pay them the real value of what they produce.
The farmers should call their bluff - then watch Tesco et al panic as they
try and source basic commodities for the entire country from abroad.

What have you got against the free market, comrade?

Withholding goods until you can get a better price IS free market econonics
you muppet.


Discovering it is not a bluff and Tescos can source from elsewhere
without a trace of panic is also free market economics.

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:19:05 +0100
Graeme Wall wrote:
On 30/08/2011 12:08, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100
The Real wrote:
On 30/08/11 11:48, d wrote:
Because supermarkets won't pay them the real value of what they produce.
The farmers should call their bluff - then watch Tesco et al panic as they
try and source basic commodities for the entire country from abroad.

What have you got against the free market, comrade?

Withholding goods until you can get a better price IS free market econonics
you muppet.


Discovering it is not a bluff and Tescos can source from elsewhere
without a trace of panic is also free market economics.

True, but its unlikely to happen. If brussels dropped its subsidies for all
european farmers the supermarkets would have no choice to pay the proper
price and the consumer would be no worse off - in theory - since what he loses
in higher food prices he gains in lower taxes. Or at least thats how it would
work if Brussels were an honest open institution and not a bunch of lazy
money grabbing incompetents.

B2003

On 30/08/2011 12:42, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:19:05 +0100
Graeme wrote:
On 30/08/2011 12:08, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:55:38 +0100
The Real wrote:
On 30/08/11 11:48, d wrote:
Because supermarkets won't pay them the real value of what they produce.
The farmers should call their bluff - then watch Tesco et al panic as they
try and source basic commodities for the entire country from abroad.

What have you got against the free market, comrade?

Withholding goods until you can get a better price IS free market econonics
you muppet.


Discovering it is not a bluff and Tescos can source from elsewhere
without a trace of panic is also free market economics.

True, but its unlikely to happen. If brussels dropped its subsidies for all
european farmers the supermarkets would have no choice to pay the proper
price and the consumer would be no worse off - in theory - since what he loses
in higher food prices he gains in lower taxes. Or at least thats how it would
work if Brussels were an honest open institution and not a bunch of lazy
money grabbing incompetents.


Have you been in a supermarket lately and seen where they source their
fresh produce from?

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:36:36 +0100
Graeme Wall wrote:
True, but its unlikely to happen. If brussels dropped its subsidies for all
european farmers the supermarkets would have no choice to pay the proper
price and the consumer would be no worse off - in theory - since what he
loses
in higher food prices he gains in lower taxes. Or at least thats how it would
work if Brussels were an honest open institution and not a bunch of lazy
money grabbing incompetents.


Have you been in a supermarket lately and seen where they source their
fresh produce from?

I'm talking about staple foods , not mung beans or couscous or whatever. They
can't get all their milk, wheat, potatoes etc from guatamala. Even new zealand
lamb is seasonal.

B2003

On 30/08/2011 13:44, d wrote:
On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:36:36 +0100
Graeme wrote:
True, but its unlikely to happen. If brussels dropped its subsidies for all
european farmers the supermarkets would have no choice to pay the proper
price and the consumer would be no worse off - in theory - since what he
loses
in higher food prices he gains in lower taxes. Or at least thats how it would
work if Brussels were an honest open institution and not a bunch of lazy
money grabbing incompetents.


Have you been in a supermarket lately and seen where they source their
fresh produce from?

I'm talking about staple foods , not mung beans or couscous or whatever. They
can't get all their milk, wheat, potatoes etc from guatamala. Even new zealand
lamb is seasonal.


No problem getting wheat, potatoes or whatever from Guatamala or even
further afield. We used to get wheat from Argentina for instance and
that was before the container revolution. Milk can easily be sourced
from Eastern Europe for instance and lamb doesn't have to come from New
Zealand, again Argentina can supply.

As has been pointed out, the expensive bit of transporting goods is the
last few miles to the shops, getting it from the other side of the world
to Southampton or Felixstowe costs peanuts so British producers have no
advantage there.

Incidentally not being a trendy lefty like you, what are mung beans anyway?

--
Graeme Wall
This account not read, substitute trains for rail.
Railway Miscellany at www.greywall.demon.co.uk/rail

On Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:18:06 +0100
Graeme Wall wrote:
No problem getting wheat, potatoes or whatever from Guatamala or even
further afield. We used to get wheat from Argentina for instance and
that was before the container revolution. Milk can easily be sourced
from Eastern Europe for instance and lamb doesn't have to come from New
Zealand, again Argentina can supply.

Eastern europe barely produces enough for itself these days and if the whole of
the EU suddenly sourced ALL its food from abroad , even assuming there was
enough spare, what do you think that would do to global prices? Suddenly that
lamb from argentina won't be available cheaper than local produce.

As has been pointed out, the expensive bit of transporting goods is the
last few miles to the shops, getting it from the other side of the world
to Southampton or Felixstowe costs peanuts so British producers have no
advantage there.

See above.

Incidentally not being a trendy lefty like you, what are mung beans anyway?

A disgusting legume only fit for trendies and animal feed.

B2003

In article , d
wrote:

... Even new
zealand
lamb is seasonal.

A few years ago I discovered that apples aren't, at least not in the way
you'd expect. In a supermarket in late September there were no British
apples to be seen - every one on display was from the southern
hemisphere.

Sam