Freshfel Europe calls on European authorities to build on the momentum of significant policy review to promote a plant-based diet

The momentum to significantly stimulate production, trade and consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables is stronger than ever. COVID-19 pandemic has led consumers to include more fresh produce in their diets to boost their health and immune system. The United Nation’s celebration of 2021 as the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables is the perfect time for Freshfel Europe and the fruit and vegetables sector to speak up for the fresh produce sector and highlight the health and environmental benefits of fresh fruit and vegetables. The strong policy initiatives that started in 2018 through the Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle and signed by three European Commissioners further contribute to the momentum. The Declaration has now been converted into more concrete policy initiatives where fruit and vegetables are considered as part of the solutions to current societal challenges, such as climate change and non-communicable diseases. This is well reflected in the ambitions and strategy of the Green Deal, the Farm to Fork Strategy, the EU Beating Cancer Plan, the upcoming reform of the fruit and vegetable School Scheme, and, most importantly, the current discussion on the reform of the promotion policy with clear views of Freshfel Europe on the relevance of this policy for fresh produce.

Freshfel Europe General Delegate Philippe Binard stressed: “More than ever before there is a momentum to change things significantly. Fruit and vegetables are only granted 3 to 4% of EU agricultural policy budget while contributing to 20% to the European agricultural value. In comparison, the meat sector received up to 53% of coupled agricultural support and milk and dairy 21%. It is time to spend agriculture budget more in line with societal expectations both from a health and environmental perspective” He added: “Fruit and vegetables are among the food baskets the products that best respond to these two ambitions. As the European Union is moving towards sustainable food production and consumption model, fruit and vegetables are an important component contributing to secure this ambition”.

For more than 20 years the sector has embarked in sustainable methods of production, using Integrated Production Method, precision farming and good agriculture practice, strict controls of plant protection usage, rigorous water management, minimizing packaging and many other initiatives to cope with environmental, social and economic sustainability. On the climate and environmental side, fruit and vegetables production are among the agriculture category with the lost CO2 emissions, good record in regard to energy and water usage, protection of biodiversity and restrictive usage of plant protection products and fertilizers. On the health side, the diversity of fruit and vegetables contributes to a healthy diet, full of fibres, vitamins, and nutrients which are important assets for an healthy lifestyle and prevention of many diseases based on a wealth of scientific studies

It is to be reminded that figures demonstrate that fresh produce are primarily consumed locally and in season, as more than 60% of the fresh produce are consumed in the European Member States where they were grown, while trade -both intra EU and international guarantees the full diversity of the assortment and year-round supply. The efforts of growers to protect their crops and the good temperature control of the supply chain also contribute to minimize food lost and food waste.

The support for a strong promotion policy and the education of consumers towards a more plant-based diets was echoed by Freshfel Europe representative Simona Rubbi (CSO and Chair of the Civil Dialogue Group of Promotion and Quality of the European Commission) during the two days conference on the review of the promotion policy: “It is important for fruit and vegetable to rely on a strong and well-funded promotion policy. Today, the fresh produce sector receives around 30 Mio € of financial support every year for the promotion of EU fresh produce on the domestic market as well as on third-country markets.  15% of the EU promotion budget is therefore dedicated to fruit and vegetables”. She noted: “This is obviously insufficient if the ambitious objective of the EU is to radically change the diet and move towards a more sustainable and plant-based diet. This move should also keep in mind the benefit of a balance and diverse diet including other agriculture product.  Securing half of the plate with fruit and vegetables and move over the minimum of 400 g per capita/day for all consumers is the objective. It will be a win-win solution, for the planet and for the health of its citizens alike and for the sector as this will imply to increase the fresh produce supply by close to 15 mio T”.

Freshfel Europe will continue to take the lead towards a more favourable policy-making for fresh produce. It is time to deliver and build on the current momentum by supporting the transition towards a sustainable system and shaping the new policies that best respond to the challenges of the sector. Finding ways to best position fruit and vegetables at the centre of a healthy and sustainable diet should be the main priorities of public and private stakeholders. It should be based on the strong partnership within the supply chain from production, to trade and down to retail and other food services segments and guarantee by the excellence, the quality, the freshness, the convenience and the diversity of all fresh fruit and vegetables made available to consumers on the European markets.

 Relevant links

• Tartu Call for a Healthy Lifestyle: 15 commitments to promote healthy lifestyles through sport, food, innovation or research made by Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Vytenis Andriukaitis, Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, and Phil Hogan, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development in 2019
• The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 (IYFV): as declared by the UN General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/74/244, it aims at raising awareness of, directing policy attention to, and sharing good practices on the nutritional and health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, the contribution of fruit and vegetable consumption to the promotion of diversified, balanced and healthy diets and lifestyles, and reducing loss and waste of fruits and vegetables
• #SpeakUp4FruitVeg: Launched in January 2021, Freshfel Europe’s campaign is targeted at EU decision-makers to better support the sector in EU policy-making. Through regular posts on its social media accounts (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook) throughout 2021 Freshfel Europe hopes to boost support for the sector by EU decision-makers including European Commission officials, Members of the European Parliament and Member State representatives
• EU Beating Cancer Action Plan: The new EU approach to cancer prevention, treatment and care includes the shift to a more plant-based diet, with less red and processed meat and other foods linked to cancer risks and more fruit and vegetables
• Green Deal and Farm to Fork Strategy: Aiming to make food systems fair, healthy and environmentally friendly, they stress the need both for the health of Europeans and the environment of moving towards a plant based diet
• WHO recommendations for a healthy diet, which include at least 400 g (i.e., five portions) of fruit and vegetables per day (2), excluding potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other starchy roots
• Recommendations (43) to stimulate consumption of fruit & vegetables for healthier Europeans through the Freshfel Europe Thematic Network under the EU Health Policy Platform, endorsed by 42 health & agri-food stakeholders
• Scientific studies collected by the EGEA conference over the last 10 years
• Freshfel Europe’s contribution to the European Commission’s public consultation on the EU agricultural promotion policy inside and outside of the EU, which is currently under review
• Review of the EU school fruit, vegetables and milk scheme, which supports the supply of fruit, vegetables, milk and certain milk products to children together with educational activities teaching them about agriculture and developing healthy eating habits

Freshfel Europe and Copa-Cogeca’s joint event ‘Bringing fresh eyes to the promotion of fruits, vegetables and other agricultural products’, which put a spotlight on the upcoming reform of the European Commission promotion policy for agricultural products