The Irish Farmers Journal carried an editorial piece entitled "Mushrooms - 'In terminal decline'" in the December 2nd edition.
There was also a full page given over to the mushroom industry, with an article by CMP's Jim Gollogley and a report about Minister Brendan Smiths warning on the exploitation of mushroom workers.
The editorial piece referred to a previous report on the fall in margins at Monaghan Mushrooms, citing Ronnie Wilson though as saying that the sector has turned the corner.
It referred also to Jim Gollogley article, pointing to the supermarkets and "their relentless driving down of prices by the use of sheer bargaining power."
One solution proffered to counter the power of the supermarkets is "some form of coordinated selling".
The final thought- "Is there any connection between supermarket exploitation and farmer inability to pay?" in reference to worker exploitation, it is a point worth examining.
The bottom line is though, that one cannot pass the buck.
A fuller discussion on issues raised can be found in the article by Francisco Arqueros in the article section in this month's edition.
