Growers have criticised claims made by the British Retail Consortium that retailers are in fact paying more to farmers, but payments are getting stuck with middlemen.
Andrew Opie, director of food at the British Retail Consortium, said that retailers were listening to farmers and growers and paying more money.
Making the comments on BBC Countryfile on Sunday, he said that these increased payments were, however, getting stuck in the middle, with the middlemen.
Mr Opie's comments have since been criticised by British Berry Growers, the industry body which represents 95% of the UK’s commercial soft fruit growers.
"In our sector that’s simply not true," said Nick Marston, chairman of the body.
"Our growers have direct relationships with retailers or very transparent relationships through producer organisations.
"Despite constant material that we have given retailers about their massive increase in the cost of production of fresh berries in this country, we have seen no action at all."
According to British Berry Growers, there is a disconnect between retailer prices and production costs.
The cost of production for a punnet of strawberries has gone up by 18p in the last two years and is set to go up another 6p when the National Living Wage increase comes in next year.
Kantar data shows that retail shelf prices have risen by 27p per pack over this period, but a grower survey of BBG’s members revealed that the average return per pack has only gone up by 4p.
Mr Opie said: “Talk is cheap. There are no middlemen. Retailers are simply not paying our growers any more money and that is unsustainable.
“We are calling on retailers to take real action, listen to growers about their cost increases and reward them for producing fresh berries in order for them to stay in business.”
It comes after 100,000 people have signed a petition urging the UK's largest retailers to treat farmers more fairly, with the issue due to be debated in parliament in the new year.
