The launch of Eat Seasonably, which fresh produce pundit Gregg Wallace unveiled at the Re:fresh Conference, has managed to stir up plenty of food for thought.

I am certainly not denying the importance of supporting British growers and making the most of this country’s wealth of produce when it is at its best. There is a great buzz around the first arrivals each year of British strawberries, Jersey Royals and English asparagus, among others.

But the major drawback to this campaign is its capability - intentional or not - to demonise imports. Despite Wallace’s insistence that he was not advocating a ban on all imported fruit and vegetables, it appears that he only wants to cherry-pick those lines that he deems acceptable to bring in, such as bananas and mangoes. So are we never to taste French Granny Smith apples or Kenyan Tenderstem broccoli again, for example, by dint of the fact that we can grow apples and broccoli in the UK?

The first hurdle to overcome is getting consumers to eat their full 5 A DAY quota, long before we start worrying about where the produce they buy has been grown. There is simply not enough domestic production to meet demand and we need a wide range of produce to maintain and boost interest in healthy eating.

Congratulations to all the Re:fresh award winners and finalists. In such a tough year, they proved just what a fantastic industry this one is.

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