The brand new Defra Secretary has paid tribute to the British farmers forward of Christmas Day, hailing them for ‘working laborious all 12 months spherical to maintain the nation fed’.
Because the UK shares up on groceries forward of the massive day, Steve Barclay has issued an announcement on the standard of British farmers’ ‘high-welfare, seasonal produce’.
Appointed Defra Secretary final month, he stated: “Our farmers and meals producers work laborious all 12 months spherical to maintain the nation fed, particularly within the run as much as Christmas.
“Gathering family and friends around the desk to share nice meals is among the finest issues about Christmas, however it’s so essential to recollect the place all of it comes from.
“This 12 months, I invite everybody to lift a glass to the devoted farmers and meals producers who fill our plates at Christmas.”
In accordance with the British Poultry Council, UK households will devour a staggering 8-9 million turkeys this Christmas – 90% of that are British.
And knowledge from Kantar reveals that two thirds of the cheese and greens purchased within the run as much as Christmas final 12 months have been British.
Brussels sprouts stay a favorite accompaniment, with over 25,000 tonnes of British sprouts purchased final 12 months – over a 3rd of which have been within the festive season.
In the meantime, UK shoppers spent £45 million on almost 19 million Christmas puddings and £132 million on 98 million packs of mince pies final 12 months.
Jim Bligh, director of company affairs on the Meals and Drink Federation, welcomed Defra’s feedback, as many British meals producers have been ‘working laborious throughout the festive interval’.
“[They] play an important position in producing and supplying food and drinks in order that households can get pleasure from their Christmas meals with family and friends,” he stated.
“The meals business has many unsung heroes that can be serving to to offer the much-loved meals we eat at Christmas time, and I want all of them a really Pleased Christmas.”
