Early payments for Morrisons suppliers to help offset coronavirus impact

Farmers, local foodmakers and other small businesses will receive early payments from the supermarket to help mitigate the potential impact of coronavirus.

Hannah Binns
News Reporter
clock • 1 min read
Early payments for Morrisons suppliers to help offset coronavirus impact

Farmers, local foodmakers and other small businesses will receive early payments from the supermarket to help mitigate the potential impact of coronavirus.

The faster payments will support the company's 1,750 farmer suppliers in dealing with cash flow problems caused by the coronavirus, such as manufacturing disruptions and staff shortages as a result of sickness.

Morrisons have also reclassified smaller 'goods for resale' suppliers as those with a Morrisons turnover of £1 million or less per annum, meaning an extra 1,000 small food businesses will qualify for the new immediate payment.

Chief executive of Morrisons, David Potts, said: "We are Britain's biggest single foodmaker and we want to be there for the smaller foodmakers, farmers and businesses that supply Morrisons.

"We're a British family business and we will be doing our best to support them through this challenging period."

Environment Secretary, George Eustice, welcomed the measures to support farmers and food producers in their ‘vital work of feeding the nation.'

He said: "We already have a highly-resilient food supply chain in this country and I am continuing to work closely with Morrisons and other retailers on their response to coronavirus.

"The Government has pledged £30 billion in this year's Budget for those affected and we have been clear that we will do whatever it takes to support people and businesses."

Morrisons will write to suppliers to inform them of the changes and plan to start processing payments this week.

Payments are expected to last until the end of May before the situation is reviewed.

More on Arable

UK wheat prices reach highest in more than two years

UK wheat prices reach highest in more than two years

Get all the latest analysis on the latest trends in the grain markets from Farmers Guardian

Farmers Guardian
clock 03 September 2026 • 4 min read
Promising results from first year of UK relay cropping trials

Promising results from first year of UK relay cropping trials

Oxfordshire arable farmer Ben Adams is testing whether relay cropping can squeeze more from the same area of land, with first-year results suggesting there could be something worth pursuing

Ashleigh Ellwood
clock 03 September 2026 • 4 min read
Elveden Estate trial: Regenerative farming boosts soil health but challenges sugar beet yields

Elveden Estate trial: Regenerative farming boosts soil health but challenges sugar beet yields

Sugar beet has come round in the rotation this season in a long-term sustainable farming systems trial on the 9000-hectare Elveden Estate

Teresa Rush
clock 02 September 2026 • 8 min read