Minister urges England to get growing!
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn announced a new Task Force today which will help us to grow and eat more fruit and vegetables and improve the nation’s health as a consequence.
Comprising growers, retailers, consumers and agricultural researchers, the Fruit and Vegetables Task Force will develop an action plan to increase the production and consumption of fruit and vegetables in this country.
In 2008, domestic production of fruit and vegetables was 37 per cent of demand. The UK produces 11 per cent of the fresh fruit we consume, which has increased in the last five years, and 58 per cent of fresh vegetables, down from 63 per cent five years ago.
Compared to five years ago, more of the apples we eat are grown in the UK, and nearly 13 per cent more strawberries eaten in Britain are grown here. However, the proportion of pears and plums consumed that were grown here have declined. 
Most cabbages and carrots eaten in the UK are also grown here, but UK production of tomatoes has declined over the last decade, meaning a greater proportion of the tomatoes we consume are imported.
Current barriers to production include developing clear career paths to attract young people to the industry, the availability of seasonal workers, volatile energy costs and the effects of climate change including the availability and cost of water.
Mr Benn said:
“If we grow and eat more fruit and vegetables here – in our greenhouses, in our orchards, in our fields, our allotments and in our own back gardens – it will be good for our health, our farming community, and our landscape.
“There is a gap at the moment, between what we consume and what we grow here, but there’s no reason why we can’t grow more here. And the main thing we can do to encourage this is to choose, and eat, British produce.
“We need make sure our farmers can compete successfully with imports, are resilient to the effects of climate change, and that we’re getting fresh talent into the industry so that we can continue to grow world-class fruit and veg.”
Further information
Page last modified: 21 October 2009
Page published: 21 October 2009