New research into the fresh produce sector has been commissioned by DEFRA as it looks to further understand the supply chain and ease the pressures created by a number of key challenges on businesses in the trade.

The study, to be conducted by English Farming and Food Partnerships (EFFP), will look at the challenge of increasing fruit and vegetable consumption and arresting the decline in food production with environmental sustainability and business collaboration also being examined.

The survey, which will canvas more than 500 growers, will also review the sector’s approach to producer prganisations and the uptake of the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme.

Liz Bowles, EFFP regional manager for the South West, told freshinfo that the research follows some work the organisation did with DEFRA in 2008-09. She said: “As a result of that DEFRA asked EFFP to carry out this project, which is made up of research within the sector followed by an implementation stage to work with growers and producer organisations. I think DEFRA chose EFFP, as we are well known for working within supply chains to support the development of effective function at all stages of the chain.

“We are intending to contact at least 500 growers by direct mailing. In addition, we will be sending to more growers via the groups of which they are members. We are also working very closely with the National Farmers’ Union to alert as many growers to this important survey for their industry. We are aiming to have responses back with us by November 20, to enable us to move on to collate and analyse the survey results.”

Bowles said early signs have been positive: “Our initial research within the fruit and vegetable sector indicates that growers are currently facing significant pressure on their margins as the country deals with the current recession.

“While demand has increased, domestic production across most sectors has been dropping as UK producers have struggled to compete with imports and consequently, the issue of food security has risen up the political agenda. This drop in production has meant that increasingly consumers are unable to purchase UK and local produce.”

The research will also look at the role of producer organisations in the UK industry. EFFP has been tasked to review how the uptake of the current Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme can be increased in the UK so that a larger proportion of UK production can be supported to enable it to compete more effectively with imports.

Bowles added: “The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is more complicated than many other EU programmes and this leads to the need for scheme administrators to interpret the EU rules for individual producer organisations and grower circumstances.”

Growers are invited to go online to complete the survey, which will lead them through the sections relevant to them, while hard copies will also be sent out to some growers.