This is Sussex --SHOPPERS aren't paying what they really should for food – as farmers are selling produce at a loss.
This is the message from local livestock farmer Jez Wheatland who says he and his counterparts are struggling to make ends meet.
Without government subsidies he warns that many farms would either go out of business or have to charge far more for produce, which would hit shoppers in the pocket.
Even with these subsidies, he adds that farmers still struggle to compete against rivals in parts of Europe, as they get more generous subsidies from their governments, allowing them to sell their produce for even less.
Mr Wheatland issued his warning after a debate on whether local produce is affordable took place last week at the South of England Showground in Ardingly. He believes lots of shoppers opt for cheaper food that has come from Europe, rather than paying a little more for local produce.
The 50-year-old, who owns Withypitts Farm in Turners Hill, said: "These are tough times but people still think farmers are loaded.
"What they [the public] don't realise is that their food [when bought in supermarkets] is subsidised, they are not paying the true value.
"People do not realise the production costs. My water bill is about £3,000 a month, but that increases in the summer when we use about 4,000 to 5,000 litres of water a week. And then there are the fuel costs.
"As far as I understand, farmers in other countries get excessive subsidies from their governments. I am not a politician, but sometimes I wonder why farmers in other countries who are running smaller acreage earn an income while we struggle?" Reported by This is 52 minutes ago.