SIR, Some readers may have read Jeremy Clarkson’s article in the Sunday Times – ‘Apparently it’s far right to grow food. Bring on das tractor revolt’ – lamenting over the fact that a tin of Heinz baked beans costs only £1.40.

This was not in his usual Farmer Clarkson article in the magazine, but the one in the main paper which usually has nothing or very little to do with farming. It should have been on the front page! In it, he detailed all the probable costs of the 415g tin that was a long list including the tin, labelling, haulage to and from distributor to retailer, retail margin, advertising etc. He then wrote: “How much is left for the farmer that grew the beans?” And he wrote: “Yes you’re absolutely right, it’s bugger all!”

I reiterate this because I have a friend who was a cost accountant for Heinz in Wigan. He once told me, and I have reconfirmed this, that the cost of ingredients in a tin of vegetable soup was one-third of a penny – current price of tin, circa £1.70. He said most of the ingredients were sourced from local farmers in Lancashire where a lot of vegetables are grown.

Iain Stewart, Gain