§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
How much of the fruit consumed in the United Kingdom is produced in the United Kingdom. [HL2056]
§ Lord WhittyOverall UK-produced fruit accounted for 9 per cent of the total fruit supply in the UK in 2002.
The main fruits produced on a commercial scale in the UK include apples (dessert and culinary), pears, plums, cherries, and soft fruit, primarily strawberries, raspberries and blackcurrants. The fruit may be consumed as the raw whole fruit or processed prior to consumption. The most recent published UK production figures for these fruit for the calendar year 2002 are shown in table 1. For other fruits for example oranges, bananas, peaches, nectarines, grapes, and pineapples, the UK is virtually entirely dependent on imports.
Customs and Excise trade information does not distinguish exports of fruit produced in the UK from re-exports of imported fruit. Food consumption survey data do not distinguish UK and imported 148WA produce. This makes it difficult to provide accurate information on consumption of UK produced fruit. Therefore information has been presented to show the proportion of the total supply of fruit in the UK that is represented by UK production. The total supply of fruit takes into account UK production, exports/re-exports and imports (trade data based on fresh produce). Figures are given in table 1.
Table 1 UK fruit production and supply 2002 Fruit UK production ('000 tonnes) Total supply ('000 tonnes) UK production as a percentage of the total UK supply apples 176.7 610.3 29 pears 34.2 141.2 24 plums 12.2 158.1 8 cherries 1.3 17.4 8 total soft fruit 62.6 105.7 59 of which: strawberries 38.4 74.9 51 raspberries 6.8 11.8 59
§ Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domerasked Her Majesty's Government:
What strategy the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has to encourage more home fruit production; whether their proposed treatment of fruit growers under the common agricultural policy reforms provide further encouragement for this sector; and, if so, in what way. [HL2057]
§ Lord WhittyThe reform of the common agricultural policy agreed last June will decouple agricultural support payments from production decisions and leave farmers and growers free to respond to market demand for their produce.
The department does not seek to provide direct incentives for the production of fruit but is working with the Department of Health to draw the attention of growers to market opportunities created by the Five-a-Day programme and the National School Fruit Scheme.