BRITAIN'S farm shops now generate a staggering £1.4 billion in sales nationally, and employ 25,000 workers.farm shops now generate a staggering £1.4 billion in sales nationally, and employ 25,000 workers.

On-farm retail proved to be invaluable throughout the pandemic, with 89% of farmshop businesses reporting an increase in sales since 2019.

The burgeoning sector's latest statistics were revealed this week at the annual Farm Retail Association Conference after it undertook its biggest research project to date, in tandem with Harper Adams University.

Researchers from the Harper Adam's recently created Food, Land and Agri-Business Management department found that there are an estimated 1581 farm retailers nationally, and 64% of them expect sales to increase further in 2022. But like many rural industries, the greatest challenge facing farm retailers is attracting enough skilled staff to enable this growth.

Senior Lecturer in Food Retail and Marketing, Alastair Boot, said: "We believe this is the first substantial survey of its kind into farm retail. It establishes the growth of the sector and its enormous value to local economies. It is clear that farm shops offer a different experience to high street shopping through the quality of their produce and their standard of service – and that this difference is increasingly appreciated by customers."

FRA chairman Rupert Evans said: “Collectively we are generating more than £1.4 billion in sales which is absolutely staggering and a testament to the passion and integrity of farm retailers.

“We knew anecdotally that consumers are preferring to shop and support local more than ever before and this data confirms just that. The trust was built up through the pandemic as farm retailers could adapt quickly to introduce Covid safe measures and people felt safer shopping in smaller environments as opposed to large supermarkets. We think the pandemic will have changed shopping habits for many and will be here to stay.”