Well done the BBC. “Better late than never,” I thought, as I watched the recent TV show Crop to Shop with Jimmy Doherty presenting the real carbon footprint story to the viewer.

His exploration of the global logistics which bring fresh food to our supermarkets and other outlets included trips to Kenya, Ghana, Egypt and the glasshouse complexes of the Netherlands. It offered a refreshingly different picture of the real situation which has been sadly lacking in the media in recent years. We have been banging this drum for a considerable time within the industry and it was great to find overwhelming support of the facts on prime time TV.

David Cameron’s comments promoting global free trade at the recent G8 summit in Canada were also very welcome as we seek to challenge the latest proposals by the EC in its review of the high risk imports regulation. We have responded to the FSA requesting the urgent introduction of an assured status on behalf of reputable members with the aim of reducing delays and additional costs. While we support the need for tight regulations, trade between nations should not be restricted by unnecessary bureaucracy.

Meanwhile we enjoyed a trip to George Hammond at Dover in June and were delighted to meet with Brian Madderson (winner of the Re:fresh Florette Lifetime Achievement award) and new md James Ryeland. This extraordinary business was founded in the 18th century and is one of today’s leading shipping agents. Expert freight handlers of a wide variety of fruit, Hammond offers a great facility and we will be organising an FPC supply chain visit later this year enabling our members to look around and discuss trading opportunities. We were pleased to assist in securing this port as a designated port of entry for high risk food products.

It was great to see a number of our members at the Moroccan British Trade Day in London where I was invited to represent the UK industry and present an update on market trends. Morocco offers a wide variety of high quality produce and is keen to further develop UK trading relations.

As the holiday season gets underway, current soaring temperatures have seen many of us enjoying seasonal UK produce. Whether you enjoy it in a traditional glass of Pimms or a tasty salad, I wish you happy holidays!