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Dear Members,

 

 

-----Original Message-----


From: [log in to unmask]

 

To:          Moderator, FAO-Carib-Agri

 

From:     Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), P.O. Bag 212, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, St.

Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago W.I.

 

 

Please post on FAO-Carib-Agri the following:

 

Subject:  Buy British fruit and veg to help economy, minister says. BBC News, 7 January 2014

 

 

Dear Colleagues

 

The Rt Hon Owen Paterson MP, Minister, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, UK, is encouraging UK consumers to "buy more British fruit and vegetables to boost the economy".  He also stated "We can't grow mangoes or pineapples, but we can encourage UK consumers and food businesses to buy Scottish raspberries or Kent apples."

 

This UK policy has two implications for the Caribbean:

 

-          Caribbean needs to prioritise and emphasise the promotion of "buy local" and "eat what we grow" programmes

 

-          Secondly, the Caribbean needs to put mechanisms in place to enable movement of agricultural produce across the Region to optimise and synergise the national level production.

 

-           

 

For more details on the UK policy, please see the following articles from BBC News and FreshFruitPortal.com, as well as Minister's speech

 

BUY BRITISH FRUIT AND VEG TO HELP ECONOMY, MINISTER SAYS. BBC NEWS, 7 JANUARY 2014

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-25633611

 

Shoppers should buy more British fruit and vegetables to boost the economy, the environment secretary has said.

 

Owen Paterson said 24% of food eaten in the UK is imported despite "top-class" production on home soil.

 

He told the Oxford Farming Conference that farmers and manufacturers must "take action" to encourage consumers.

 

But it has emerged that 43% of meat served in Mr Paterson's own departmental canteen is imported.

 

In his speech, Mr Paterson said the public sector should be supporting the UK's world class farmers and their top quality products.

 

He praised the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Trust for buying 92% of its food from the UK, saying it had saved a significant amount of money by sourcing locally.

 

Figures supplied by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show approximately 57% of the fresh meat served by the department's catering provider is British, with the remainder being sourced from the EU.

Owen Paterson Mr Paterson says the government is taking steps to help farmers

 

The Department said gammon and bacon had always been bought from the EU while beef, lamb, chicken and pork joints are all sourced from the UK - as are its eggs and milk

 

Defra's catering providers say they are "fully committed to supporting British farmers and growers" and champion "the use of great British produce and seasonal British ingredients''.

'Huge opportunity'

 

Mr Paterson said there was a "huge opportunity" for farmers, manufacturers and the government to promote UK produce.

 

"By buying seasonal fruit and veg we can improve the nation's health, help the environment and boost the economy," he said.

 

He added: "As British farmers and food producers you know that we grow some of the best food in the world here - so why is 24% of the food eaten in the UK imported when it could be produced here?"

 

"We have a top-class fruit and veg sector which produces everything from green beans to strawberries, yet we imported £8bn of fruit and veg in 2012.

 

"We can't grow mangoes or pineapples, but we can encourage UK consumers and food businesses to buy Scottish raspberries or Kent apples."

 

Mr Paterson also said changes to livestock movement rules will save farmers and taxpayers £70m over 10 years, while reduced bureaucracy will help farmers and improve prevention and control of diseases such as bovine TB.

 

These changes, which follow recommendations from the Task Force on Farming Regulation, will take effect from 2016.

 

 

U.K. GOV’T CALLS ON CONSUMERS TO BUY LOCAL, DITCH IMPORTS.

FRESHFRUITPORTAL.COM, JANUARY 7TH, 2014

http://www.freshfruitportal.com/2014/01/07/u-k-govt-calls-on-consumers-to-buy-local-ditch-imports/?country=trinidad%20and%20tobago

 

www.freshfruitportal.com

 

 

SPEECH: OPPORTUNITY IN AGRICULTURE BY MINISTER, THE RT HON OWEN PATERSON MP. DELIVERED ON 7 JANUARY 2014 (ORIGINAL SCRIPT, MAY DIFFER FROM DELIVERED VERSION) https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/opportunity-in-agriculture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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