The widening UK trade deficit in fruit and vegetables now stands in excess of an extraordinary £4.4 billion. Responding to the figures the NFU has issued a fresh call for the industry to sign up to its Fruit and Veg Pledge, which urges retailers to work with British growers to ensure more British fruit and veg ends up on British plates
NFU acting horticulture and potatoes board chairman Guy Posit welcomed recent moves made by retailers to support British produce but called for greater commitment, including long-term contracts.
He said: “Retailers responded very positively to the industry’s requests to relax product specifications last year, which helped to put more British produce on supermarket shelves, and growers all over the country are extremely grateful to their customers for adopting such a flexible and supportive stance."
“However, there is a lot at stake. Its time that retailers offered long-term contracts, committed to crop programmes and offered greater price certainty to their growers so they can have the confidence to invest."
“This will help to secure the long-term future of the horticulture sector and deliver what our customers tell us they want, which is more British fruit and veg.”
- Home production as a percentage of total supply for 2012 for all vegetables was 56 per cent, compared to an average of 59 per cent for the last five years.
- Home production for all fruit in 2012 was 10 per cent, down 2 per cent on the previous three years.
- Within the fruit category, the biggest drops included apples (31 home production), pears (16 per cent) and plums (9 per cent).
- Between 2011 and 2012 the value of total imports of fresh fruit and vegetables increased by 2 per cent to £4.6 billion, while exports showed a 3 per cent decrease to £157 million.
- Peas (94 per cent), strawberries (66 per cent) and raspberries (62 per cent) lead the way.
Source: Farmersguardian.com