UK farmers sceptical after minister urges them to ‘stand ground’ on fair prices

George Eustice tells sector facing margins cut to bone by supermarkets they should demand higher incomes

Farmers must stand their ground" on price inflation and ensure that the rising costs they face are reflected in the prices paid to them by supermarkets for their produce, the UK's environment, food and rural affairs secretary has demanded.

George Eustice told the online Oxford Farming Conference on Thursday that rising input costs should result in higher incomes for farmers, but that increasing farm gate prices need not result in food inflation for consumers.