New Zealand is more energy efficient at producing and delivering apples to the UK market than UK producers, according to Peter Beaven, chief executive of Pipfruit New Zealand.
He said: “The food miles debate is very much a UK-based argument aimed to encourage consumers to buy British. This is potentially very damaging to the southern hemisphere market.
“But the argument does not stack up. You need to look at the total energy use, especially in the production of the product.”
NZ costs of production are a third of those in the UK and, when transport costs are added, the total energy cost is still 10 per cent lower than those in the UK, according to a study by Lincoln University in New Zealand, he said.
The research also found that the carbon dioxide emissions per tonne of apples were higher in the UK than in New Zealand as a result of higher energy use and lower emissions from New Zealand’s electricity generation, a large proportion of which is from renewable resources.
Beaven said: “UK supermarkets are falling over themselves to prove that they are selling the most home-grown fruit, but it’s important to see the full picture.”
