Tracking the pandemic’s impact on the UK’s fruit and vegetable supply chains means following the affordability and accessibility of fruit and veg, as well as labour supply and the quality of jobs in horticulture. We’ll be monitoring movement in these areas and watching in real-time as COVID-19 shapes the future of British horticulture.
Return to our homepage to view the COVID-19 Tracker in full.
It’s the UK apple season and British Apples and Pears have joined forces with Raymond Blanc to help promote British Apples. Ali Capper, at FPJ Live, stated that we each eat about half an apple a day and the UK and British Apples and Pears have set an ambition to increase this to ‘an apple a day’. This was seen as particularly important in the drive to improve the health of the nation in the shadow of COVID-19. Capper noted that British apples currently make up around 40% of total sales in the UK but that there was no reason that this should not be higher and that the ambition was to increase this to 60% by 2030. 9 million apple trees have been planted in the UK in the last decade.
At Fresh Produce Journal Live (FPJ Live) today, the annual fresh produce event, Nicholas Saphir revealed that a petition by 8% of all horticulture producers has successfully triggered a vote on the statutory levy paid by horticultural producers. Levy payers, probably in January 2021, will get a chance to vote on whether the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) will continue to provide a statutory levy-funded service to horticulture producers or not.
Some producers have argued that the Levy does not offer good value for money and is disproportionate to their profits, especially given increases in costs seen as a result of COVID-19. AHDB state they would rather work with industry to enhance the offering, modernise the way levy is collected and continue to work with growers to improve efficiency and profitability. All will get a chance to present their views before the ballot is held. Ministers will get the final say.
In this week’s Fruitbox podcast, host Chris White speaks to Mike Knowles and Maura Maxwell of Fruitnet about the trends and ongoing challenges faced by the European fresh fruit and veg business as a result of COVID-19. They reflect that, although the surges in demand that were seen at the beginning of lock down have leveled out, two longer term trends that seem set to stay (and accentuated by a second wave) are expansion of online retail and delivery options.
They reflect that COVID-19 has accelerated these trends and now sales are becoming a newer 21st century hybrid mix of retail/food service/takeaways and deliveries. More producers across the world are supplying directly to customers through online platforms. Reflecting on Italy’s production, Mike noted that apples, pears and kiwis have done very well and as the new season for these fruits approaches they have good export prospects. According to Maura, Spain has had one of it’s best seasons so far in recent years and producers responded well to COVID-19.
With the veg and citrus season just about to start Spain are wondering if demand will continue to be strong as there are some signs that consumer spending is slowing. Brexit is also causing concern as tariffs that are likely to come in on January 1st 2021 on citrus, for example 16% for Spanish mandarins and clementines, may put Spain at a serious competitive disadvantage with countries like Morocco, Egypt and Turkey.
The demand for plastic packaging on organic fruit and veg seen in the early stage of COVID-19 didn’t last very long according to OTC Organics, a Netherlands fruit and veg supplier. Organic fruit and vegetables packed in paper or cardboard are now back on the shelves in Europe.
Waitrose has reported a surge in the popularity of fresh herbs. The supermarket says both pre-cut and potted options have seen an uplift, with sales up 16% year on year perhaps as a result of consumers cooking and preparing more meals from home during the Covid crisis. Potted coriander saw the most significant growth, with a sales increase of 52% compared to last year. Over the last three months cut herbs have also seen an increase, up 11% against the same period last year. Basil saw the largest growth, with sales up 40%, followed by coriander up 35%. On Waitrose.com, searches for ‘fresh herbs’ over the last three months were up 162% compared to last year and ‘potted fresh herbs’ up 175%.
Morrisons is cutting the price of 400 of its most popular food items, including fruit and vegetables. The supermarket said it is making the move, which will see prices dropped by an average of 23%, to ensure good food is affordable for families at a time budgets are under pressure. Discounts include round lettuce down by 20p to 45p, 6p off a 2.5kg bag of baking potatoes making it £1.39 and 41p off a six-pack of Granny Smith apples making it £1.19.
Dan Evans, senior research associate in physical geography, and Jess Davies, chair professor in sustainability at Lancaster University, have outlined why fruit and veg production in towns and cities must become a central theme going forward.
They reflect on the increase in interest in gardening since lockdown as shown by seed packets flying off shelves and allotment waiting lists swelling. They suggest that the fear of food shortages will have motivated some, but others with more time on their hands at home will have been tempted by the chance to relieve stress doing a wholesome family activity. They outline four reasons why food growing should become a perennial feature in our gardens, towns and cities after COVID-19:
They say “All these reasons and more should compel us to scale up food production in towns in cities. COVID-19 has given us cause to re-evaluate how important local urban green spaces are to us, and what we want from our high streets, parks and pavements. Judging by the garden centre sales, allotment lists and social media, many people have decided they want more fruit and veggies in those spaces. The opportunity is there for urban planners and developers to consider what bringing farming to urban landscapes could offer.”
The most recent data from the Agricultural Prices Index shows that the increase in prices received by fruit farmers between January and April has reversed and that fruit prices being paid at the farm gate have gone down, although they are still higher than the prices being received at the same time last year. Prices received by vegetable farmers have remained fairly static, although up slightly.
During July we collected nearly 100 people’s stories from across the UK of accessing fruit and veg during the pandemic. Here is one person’s experience:
“I have been shielding so access to food generally was terrible in the early days. Specifically, fruit and veg, I found a local farm doing home delivery a few weeks into lockdown. It was expensive though. Then I managed to grab Iceland home delivery and got frozen greens and berries. Now we can travel in Wales I have had lovely fruit and veg at an affordable price from Abergavenny Market. I have continued with Iceland for frozen veg and berries as they were the only stores who had delivery slots and I went to continue to give them my custom. I will continue to visit the market too.”
This story was collected as part of the Peas Please initiative’s Covid-19 work. A summary report on how citizens have experienced accessing veg during Covid-19 is coming soon.
The Agricultural Prices Index, a monthly government publication that reflects the price farmers receive for their products, also referred to as farm gate price, shows that there have been some increases in the prices received by fruit farmers between January and April and compared to the same months last year. However, prices received by vegetable farmers have barely changed over the same time period or compared to last year. This is despite large increases in costs being reported as a result of social distancing measures and costs of recruitment.
August 2020
The most recent data from the Agricultural Prices Index shows that the increase in prices received by fruit farmers between January and April has reversed and that fruit prices being paid at the farm gate have gone down, although they are still higher than the prices being received at the same time last year. Prices received by vegetable farmers have remained fairly static, although up slightly.
Read the full report here.