The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) has backed the Sustainable Development Commission’s recommendation that all government departments must co-ordinate their approach to achieving a sustainable diet.
In its report, Setting the table: Advice to government on priority elements of sustainable diets, the commission calls on the government to clarify what is required of the supply chain and to consider the economic impacts of dietary changes.
Nigel Jenney, chief executive of the FPC, said:
“We believe that all sectors of the fresh produce industry must play a leading role in developing a sustainable food policy for the UK. The FPC is involved in the government’s fruit and vegetable task force, which is looking at ways to increase production and consumption of fruit and vegetables, one of the priority changes the commission advocates.
“We believe that government departments can make a far greater impact by having a cohesive policy for public sector food procurement which encourages greater consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, regardless of their origin.
“Earlier this year we criticised the department of health’s hospital procurement strategy over its lack of consistency with DEFRA’s definition of ‘locally in season’, which includes imported produce.”
Around 60 per cent of fruit and vegetables are imported to the UK, mostly from within the EU, providing consumers with produce outside the UK season, as well as varieties that cannot be grown in the UK.
Jenney added: “UK growers have a significant opportunity to increase the sustainable production of indigenous crops that are suited to our climate. We believe that DEFRA should identify those indigenous crops with greater production potential than is achieved currently and ensure that the sector has the necessary tools to maximise this potential.
“Sustainable diets can be achieved through a balanced approach towards the need for imports and the recognition of our responsibility to support developing countries within a global market.”
The FPC is involved currently in a Waste & Resources Action Programme project to map food waste in the supply chain, one of the areas highlighted by the commission as potentially able to impact significantly sustainable diets.
