Minister Discusses Agri-Food Produce With Asda Representatives

Senior representatives from Asda have met with the Agricultural Minister to discuss the source of local agri-food produce.

Minister Michelle McIlveen said agri-food plays a "vital role" in our local economy.

She said: "I firmly believe that strong supply chains based on communication, trust and transparency, with fair distribution of returns, are key to ensuring the supply of consistently high-quality food to the consumer. This must be underpinned by fair local pricing which supports the sector.

"To achieve this we need a collective effort. Everyone – including government, stakeholders, suppliers, producers and retailers of all sizes – has a role to play.

"I appreciate the opportunity to see at first-hand the wide range of first-class Northern Ireland sourced produce on the supermarket shelves.

"I am pleased to hear about Asda's Supplier Development Academy which, in conjunction with Invest Northern Ireland, will develop agri-food businesses that show the potential to supply their products across Asda stores in Great Britain.

"The quality of our agri-food products and the innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship within our local food and drink sector is second to none. Our produce has world leading traceability and safety controls. It is produced on farms with a strong track record in quality assurance systems and with high animal health and welfare systems."

Senior Director NI for Asda, George Rankin, said: "Asda is committed to supporting the growth of the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland, working with local suppliers and providing our customers with the local products they want to purchase. With over £300 million of produce sourced annually from over 100 producers across the island of Ireland, we are keen to extend our support for the sector by creating more opportunities for our local suppliers, both in the Northern Ireland and GB markets. A great example of our ongoing commitment is Asda's Supplier Development Academy, which is a bespoke training and development programme for local food and drink companies."