The government’s National Schools Fruit Scheme is to be extended to the south west of England from November.
Nearly 210,000 children from more than 1,800 schools in the region will benefit from the scheme, and a total of 37 million pieces of fruit a year will be required.
Growers in the region have been briefed on how to compete for contracts to supply more than one million pieces of fruit a week. The idea is to ensure children from the ages of four to six receive a piece of fruit every day.
According to Mike Tiddy, buyer for the department of health, it is essential that suppliers understand the detailed requirements. “We want growers and distributors to be in a good position to bid for the contracts,” he said. “We can’t guarantee local farmers will get the contracts but it is important we raise awareness now.”