Apple Orchards: Grant Schemes (Hansard, 19 October 2000)

§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)
My Lords, our traditional apple orchards are protected in a variety of ways. Assistance under countryside stewardship currently supports over 700 old orchards. We have also recently launched, under the England rural development programmes, the rural enterprise and the 1190 processing and marketing grant schemes, both of which may help with the production and marketing of fruit and fruit products from traditional orchards.

§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer
My Lords, I thank the Minister for that reply. Given the fact that we have lost some 40,000 hectares of apple orchards over the past 30 years and given the quality of British apples which must be the best in the world, the number of varieties and the length of their season, does she think that we in this country are doing enough in this area? Does she not think that the Government could do much more? Is she satisfied that the countryside stewardship scheme, which concentrates so much on landscape value, has the potential to expand in local economies, providing local fruit for local people as one of its objectives?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, obviously the basis of the countryside stewardship scheme is environmental but it does not exclude commercial orchards. The noble Baroness referred to the commercial aspects of the orchards we are discussing. I endorse her comments on the quality of British apples. There are real opportunities for apple growers. There has recently been a grant from the EU to the industry body, UK Apples and Pears, to allow it to promote cooking apples which, of course, would include the excellent Bramley. Under the agricultural development scheme there is a grant to create and validate a maturity index for English apples and pears to ensure that fruit is picked at the appropriate stage of ripeness to maintain quality during marketing and storage. That would result in English apples being available to consumers for a greater part of the year.

§ Baroness Nicol
My Lords, is my noble friend aware of the ecological value of some of the old traditional orchards? Will she take all possible steps to ensure that the owners of those orchards are made aware of the support that is available to them?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, generous support is available—92 per cent of income forgone—because of the contribution that traditional orchards make to landscape, history and biodiversity; they can be havens for many bird species. As I said in my original Answer, there are over 700 stewardship agreements covering 1,000 hectares of traditional orchards. We expect more orchards to join the scheme during the year.

§ Baroness Trumpington
My Lords, is my memory correct? Was there not an agreement with other apple producing countries that they should export their apples to this country only during their own harvesting seasons and not during ours, thereby limiting the competition to our own domestic produce which is superb?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I do not wish to comment on the quality of the noble Baroness's memory! I shall consult the files and contact her later. The general point she makes about ensuring that we 1191 have available English apples at a time of year during which at present we rely on imports is important. That involves growing a variety of species of apples and considering such matters as staying quality.

§ Lord Pearson of Rannoch
My Lords, is it not the case that large numbers of apple orchards have been grubbed up over recent years thanks to the malign influence of the common agricultural policy? In the happy event that we were no longer subservient to that policy, would not this Government, and, indeed, any other British government, be able to do much more for English apples, both as to their quality and their variety?

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, I am glad to say that the orchard-grubbing schemes—they were introduced in 1990–92 and 1994–95—were revised by this Government to ensure that they are directed towards countering over-production. Support is available for traditional orchards. As I pointed out, there is 60 per cent EU funding of the £300,000 being spent on promoting cooking apples, including the Bramley and other varieties. The trade is not only one way.

§ Baroness Byford
My Lords, will the Government continue to support places such as Brogdale which is the centre of traditional production of the fruit trees which our growers can use? Does the noble Baroness accept that any future development is long term? Trees do not occur overnight. It is most important to have a long term project towards the survival of these trees.

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, yes, the Government provide £180,000 a year to fund the conservation of a number of fruit and nut varieties through the national fruit collection at Brogdale. Some 2,000 distinct apple varieties form part of the collection.
With regard to institutions sponsored by MAFF, I visited Kew on Monday. At present it has a Fruitful Autumn Festival showing different varieties of apple. It has the connection with Queen Charlotte who gave her name to apple charlotte. Noble Lords may be interested to know that it is offering an apple identification service later this month.

§ Lord Colwyn
My Lords, leaving aside the dental benefits of eating many apples, is the Minister aware that the Refreshment Department provides a wide variety of apple dishes? They will continue to be available for the remainder of the day. Apples are also available in various outlets for Members to taste.

§ Baroness Hayman
My Lords, as a dentist's daughter, I am always interested to hear what the noble Lord, Lord Colwyn, says on these matters. I am sure he will agree that as well as dental benefits there are advantages in terms of healthy eating and the avoidance of cardiovascular disease. The fruit industry has welcomed the Department of Health's announcement that it plans to introduce a national school fruit scheme which again will encourage healthy eating habits.