The public wants convenient, good-value food - but also food that is high quality and has been produced with a low environmental impact.
That is the opinion of Jane Kennedy, minister of state for DEFRA and MP for Liverpool Wavertree, who addressed last week’s Re:fresh conference via a video message.
Consumers want more information about the packaging used in food and issues such as polytunnels are being widely debated, she said.
In addition, integrated pest management techniques are being pushed to the forefront, particularly with the forthcoming EU regulations, which could reduce the availability of pesticides used in UK farming.
“Proper collaboration is key and the industry needs to work together to see what the market wants and needs,” said Kennedy. She pointed to the successful work carried out by the Asparagus Growers’ Association and noted that demand for the vegetable has increased fivefold.
The government is urging the fresh produce sector to embrace new technologies and improve efficiencies without compromising on quality. During her address, Kennedy singled out the Concept Orchard project, jointly run by OrchardWorld and Sainsbury’s, as an example of innovation.
DEFRA is also supporting the Eat Seasonably campaign launched last week. “The rationale behind the campaign is to get consumers to eat more fruit and vegetables in season and this will deliver a number of benefits,” said Kennedy.
These benefits include the better taste of produce in season and its environmental benefits. Seasonable produce is also good for consumer budgets as it is cheaper to buy and cheaper to produce, Kennedy said.
She also touched upon food waste during her presentation and highlighted that dumping food waste in a landfill causes significant environmental damage. “Excess food production increases methane output and this greenhouse gas is 20 times more damaging than carbon dioxide,” she said.
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