It is encouraging to report some good news from the wholesale sector to start 2006.

While only the naive would expect a meeting with any minister to solve their issues overnight, the invite of Nine Elms tenants for face-to-face talks with Lord Bach should be seen as a landmark in the ridiculously drawn-out affair of the disposal of the market.

My money is certainly not on a 2006 conclusion to the saga, but at least the impasse has been broken. Sensible dialogue with a government willing to back its words with action can surely only be a move in the right direction.

• On page 10 of this week’s FPJ, you’ll find a new section. Category Quarter, a weekly feature, will be FPJ’s quarterly look at the most prominent categories in the fruit and vegetable industry.

There are 12 categories in the series, and each will be covered four times each year as we analyse the ups, downs, ins and outs of the global supply chain and how they affect the UK marketplace. Backed up by TNS data and analysis, each week we will provide a valuable reference point for everyone involved in the relevant sector of the industry.

The first Category Quarter focuses on citrus - the full list, in order, reads: citrus; top fruit; stone fruit; vegetables; soft fruit; bananas; organics; salads; potatoes; grapes; exotics; and prepared fruit and veg.

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