There’s no such thing as a quiet time in the fresh produce industry.

If anyone thought the festivities of Christmas would lead to a lull in industry news, they need only look through the pages of this week’s issue to see that 2011 has kicked off in as dramatic a fashion as 2010 ended.

DEFRA secretary of state Caroline Spelman used her appearance at this week’s Oxford Farming Conference to stress her department’s support for the food production industry, and there will be close scrutiny upon her to see if she delivers on her promise to reduce red tape, help increase food production and, perhaps most fascinatingly, entice the next generation into farming.

The austerity measures have meant this government has come under pressure quicker than most new administrations would be expected to, and with DEFRA suffering some severe funding cuts the industry will be keen to know the government is on its side.

Shortly before going to press, we learnt that one of the well-established names of British horticulture, AV Produce Ltd, has gone into administration

(p1), which represents a sad start to the year for the industry. While the full details over its future prospects and the reasons for its difficulties are yet to emerge, everyone will hope that it will not signal the start of the long-predicted glut of company failures that some analysts have been forecasting.

After one of the toughest years in recent memory last time out, one thing high on everyone’s wish list for 2011 is a bit of stability.