Why is it that some fruit and vegetables always seem to attract a political agenda, as opposed to a promotional one?

The classic example is, of course, the banana which, despite the amusement that this fruit can conjure up among the public, has for decades been the centre of heated exchanges within and without the EU.

No one seems to have any concerns about pears - I suppose because the market is usually balanced between supply and demand - leaving apples to make the headlines. The same pattern exists as far as raspberries and strawberries are concerned.

And having read the news items in last week’s FPJ, it is now obviously the turn of tomatoes to grab column inches. At least the industry as a whole is now anchored in quieter waters. There was a time when glasshouse production throughout Europe was tarnished with the term “factory farming”.

Rightly or wrongly, virtually everything grown north of the Mediterranean was criticised as tasteless. In particular, I witnessed the massive Dutch industry, reliant on very few varieties, receive several direct warnings from supermarket buyers to come up with improved alternatives.

The image was compounded in the public mind when overproduction on the other side of the North Sea led to media coverage of tomatoes being piled up alongside wine lakes, overlooked by butter mountains.

These times are, thankfully, well in the past. So full marks to our own industry for making a pilgrimage to the House of Commons last week as a promotional stunt to make the point that British is best to our MPs - although it is a fair bet that these representatives had other matters on their mind.

However, without wishing to open up old wounds, I would take issue that, although I agree that our English crops are certainly fresher as a result of being grown on our shores, they do not necessarily taste better.

Today one only has to take a trip around any of the major retailers to see how much choice is available from numerous competitive sources - not only in terms of size, shape, colour and taste, but also price point.

Tomatoes are no longer just tomatoes. Some are grown for specific culinary purposes, and certain varieties are sold not just in loose or pre-packed form, but also on a pick-and-mix basis.

Varietal descriptions abound and, as a result, the offer has become so vast that customers may find it highly confusing when trying to make a choice. With the introduction of even more varieties, this could become even more likely in the future.

Already in the speciality sector, apart from shades of red, yellow and orange, there are green-striped and chocolate-brown fruits on the shelf. Retail interest in ripe green tomatoes - already commonplace in many other countries - is also increasing.

So who knows where it will end? The big difference compared to 30 years ago is that there are plenty of good options available.

Topics