Most growers say they work with independent consultants. My first question is usually very simple, independent from what exactly? There is nothing wrong with consultants working closely with input suppliers, including plant suppliers, breeding companies, substrate producers, fertiliser companies or biological solution providers. The sector is small, everyone knows everyone, and collaboration is part of the game. The problem only starts when this relationship is not clearly disclosed.
What I still see far too often is an “independent” consultant recommending very specific products or programmes, not because they are clearly the best option or even necessary, but because there is a commission, a partnership, or another revenue stream attached. On paper, the consultant looks cheap, the daily rate is attractive and everyone feels comfortable. In reality, the cost simply moves elsewhere, higher cost per hectare, higher cost per kilo, long shopping lists of inputs with very questionable return.
In the end, the grower often pays much more than if the consultancy fee had been higher and the input bill lower. This is where things get uncomfortable. If fertiliser costs per hectare are well above benchmarks, either the consultant does not fully understand crop economics, or there is another incentive in play. Sometimes it is lack of knowledge. Sometimes it is not. In both cases, the farmer’s margin is not the priority.
My suggestion to growers is always the same. Start from a zero based budget. Question every single cost. Ask what problem each product is solving. Ask what happens if you remove it. Ask for the expected ROI of each biostimulant, not the brochure story. Independence is not about being perfect, it is about transparency. If there is a commission, disclose it. If there is a partnership, explain it. Then the grower can decide with full information.
In agriculture, margins are too tight for hidden incentives. Trust is built with numbers, not with labels. Sometimes, the most expensive consultant is actually the cheapest one.
