The fruit and vegetable industry should reclaim its place at the Royal Agricultural Show, said Sir Don Curry.
A great believer in the Royal Show, Curry, right, admitted that the show itself was getting smaller each year, but maintained that it was due to consolidation of the site, rather than unpopularity. However, he was concerned about the lack of fruit and vegetable promotion at the show.
“Over the years, the flower tent and interest in fruit and vegetables has declined,” Curry told FPJ. “And getting this interest rekindled should be a priority for the show. Sadly, I think that it reflects the industry, as there are fewer fruit and vegetable growers in the UK than there were. We are encouraging people to eat more fruit and vegetables, but production in the UK is getting less and less,” he said.
Curry, chairman of the sustainable food and farming implementation group, was a guest speaker at the annual New Zealand breakfast at the rained-off Royal Agricultural Show on Tuesday. He addressed guests by stressing that sustainability comes at a cost and that the current competitive environment’s low prices are not allowing the industry to move forward.
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