Local residents are struggling to find local free-range chicken

By Jo-Anna Bean

An advocate of locally produced and locally sourced produce has condemned the lack of organic, free-range chicken in the area.

Alex Grahame - owner of the award-winning Hornblowers Seafood Restaurant and Fish and Chip shop in Gourdon - said he had been searching for a quality local source of poultry for two years.

The Hornblowers' Restaurant in Gourdon

He told the Press and Journal the problem was very frustrating as his restaurant is committed to serving 100% Scottish sourcing for all of its fish and meat.

Mr Grahame told the paper: "We are proud advocates of the fantastic bounty of fresh produce available in the north-east and are more than delighted to tell customers where we source our ingredients.

"Our fresh fish and shellfish comes from the fishermen at Gourdon or Peterhead so it is literally catch of the day; our potatoes are sourced from a potato merchant in Aberdeen and even the salt you put on your chips is from the Hebridean Sea Salt company."

Gourdon Harbour - Hornblowers source all their fish locally

"Every time we hear of another farmer who might possibly be a supplier, we inevitably end up disappointed as they have an exclusive deal with one of the supermarket chains."

As a result of this, the price of local free-range organic chickens have skyrocketed.  One disheartened citizen, who didn't wish to be named, told me at the local market in Stonehaven that the price of one free-range organic chicken was £15.

"It's just not feasible.  Then you end up having to go to the big supermarkets and buying chickens from further away, because the local ones are just not affordable."

Even the local Co-operative in Inverbervie has trouble.  They have long been advocates of local Scottish produce, but the chicken on their shelves is not local or free range.

One shopper, Karen Bean, said of the chicken: "It's just not good. It's not local, free range, or nice.  If I want proper chicken, the closest is the butchers in Stonehaven, which only has it sometimes.  Failing that, I have to go to the supermarket, which is a shame when we live in such a rich farming area."

Phillip Hopley, chairman of the Scottish Chicken Growers Association, told the Press and Journal: "There is little government support that I'm aware of for farmers who want to change to produce [free-range, organic] birds - any costs have to be borne by the farmer."