Letter: Foreign fruit and veg is good for you

Sir: Your article ' 'Food miles' eat up money and energy' (10 October) suggests that the importing of fresh fruit and vegetables is a major contributor to pollution. But the distance from Calais to Scotland is the same as that from Cornwall to Scotland - should we then stop the distribution of British produce? In fact, the importing of fresh fruit and vegetables has several advantages for the consumer: market forces keep the price down and the quality up, and the extension of the traditional British seasons offers choice the year round.

At a time when doctors are saying we should eat more fresh fruit and vegetables to help guard against certain cancers and heart disease, it is disappointing to hear that we should limit the choice to British produce only. If this were to happen, we could say goodbye to our favourite fruits, such as bananas and oranges. We should be encouraging people to eat five portions a day of fruit and vegetables, not causing worry about the country of origin.

Yours sincerely,

RON PARKER

Chairman

Fresh Fruit & Vegetable

Information Bureau

London, SW7

11 October