We berate ourselves for an inability to attract youngsters into this industry and worry that the future generation of fruit and vegetable traders is not coming through.

We ask not only who will fill the shoes of the people who have graced the produce stage for the last few generations, but more intriguingly, why would they bother?

The fresh produce industry is fiercely proud of its traditional roots and so it should be. But, when recruiting, maybe we sometimes lose sight of the opportunities it offers youngsters looking for a career.

Fresh produce may be attributed a lowly rung on the food-chain ladder, but it is an incontrovertible truth that our products are seen as a healthy option, they are eaten by virtually everyone and will always be in demand,

This market may not be the most stable in 2008, but there is one more thing that swings in its favour. According to new EU population forecasts, Great Britain will overtake Germany as the most populous nation in Europe by the middle of this century, and by 2060, GB will have 76.6 million inhabitants (61m today).

If, like me, that news does not exactly make you want to jump up and down for joy, then at least take solace in the fact that, while many industries crumble under the pressure, 25 per cent more people will be buying fruit and veg.

And the 18-22 year-olds who pick the produce path today will look back on a choice well made.