As the days race on at a relentless pace and we enjoy lighter evenings and warmer temperatures, we have spent another busy month at the FPC looking after your needs and bringing you up to date on current issues. The run up to Easter is seriously busy for the industry and I hope you were able to enjoy at least some of the fabulous weather afforded us over this spring break.

Earlier in the month we visited the Yorkshire Produce Centre with our wholesale division, and we thank Richard Thompson and John Holland for their kind hospitality. An interesting tour of the market was followed by a discussion of key issues affecting wholesalers, whether independent or located in the big markets. It was great to see new faces and hear different points of view, and we will keep you informed as we continue to hold these meetings around the UK. If there is a market you would particularly like us to visit, please let us know.

I was delighted to attend the New Covent Garden Market reception and to learn more of the future vision of the market for the benefit of its tenants. This month I have also been in Brussels, at the EU Fruit & Veg Advisory Meeting. It is important to maintain active liaison with relevant decision makers and, although not always perceived as having any influence within the UK, the extensive new legislation does have significant impact on our industry, for example, plant health and the ongoing CMO reform.

Re:fresh award judging is now completed, and thank you to all those who entered. The response was very good and the standard, as always, extremely high. The awards evening on May 10 will be spectacular and the line-up of speakers for the conference earlier in the day will surely stimulate interesting debate on “The Fresh Produce Footprint”. If you haven’t already booked your place, hurry to www.refresh.eu/conference. We look forward to seeing you at the Marriott in Grosvenor Square for an action-packed day and an even more fun-packed evening.

You will have noticed that our internal systems are changing, with tariffs and prices now published on our website,

www.freshproduce.org.uk. This is proving a successful and popular way to disseminate information, and we will keep you updated as we progress.