'£2.3bn boost' by expanding fruit and veg growing

BOOSTING UK fruit and veg production to meet healthy eating guidelines could increase farm profits, create jobs and add £2.3 billion to the economy, a report has suggested.

- EMILY BEAMENT

A study by environmental think tank Green Alliance warns that intake of fruit and vegetables would need to increase by 86% for Britons to meet health advice to eat five portions a day, with just a third of people in the UK eating the recommended amount.

But helping the domestic horticulture industry expand in line with people eating the right amount of fruit and vegetables could add £2.3 billion to the economy or more if the proportion of produce that was home grown increased.

It could also support up to 23,520 additional jobs and boost farm incomes by 3% across the country, without threatening self-sufficiency in other foods, the report said.

The researchers estimated 113,622 hectares of land (281,000 acres) would be needed to expand horticultural production by 86%.