There is not a day goes by without a story on how the recession is biting at food budgets, with those on low incomes hit the hardest by the economic downturn.

However, there is one sector in growth, the discount supermarkets such as Iceland (see page 20). Better known for its frozen meals and celebrity promotion than its fresh produce offer, times are a-changing and along with other discounters it’s expanding its fruit and vegetable aisles.

This can only be good news for the consumer, not just from a purchasing point of view but also an educational one. I’ve written before that while certain items of fresh produce can be costly for a family, there are plenty of other options that are priced the same as junk food.

Yes you can buy a pack of Kit Kats for your child’s lunchbox at £1 but a bag of basic apples cost no more than 80 to 90p. As Produce World’s farming director Jason Burgess says in our exclusive interview (see page 24) the industry must work together to raise awareness of the goodness and the value of its offer. Here at FPJ, we will do all we can to assist in championing that cause.