Norwegian primary and secondary school children, who currently consume 42 000 pieces of fruit and veg at school per day, will see it increased back to 65 000 fruit and veg per day. This is according to Tore Angelsen, project leader at the Norwegian government funded School Fruit and Vegetable program, who hopes to increase consumption back to pre-pandemic levels from the start of the new school year in August.
Over the past 27 years the Norway school fruit and vegetable program has reached primary and secondary pupils from 1st grade to 10th grade in over 600 schools. This long standing campaign, subsidised by the Norwegian government, costs about 21 Million Norwegian Kroner (over €2 million) per year. It has two main markets, one voluntarily and partly paid by parents for their kids to have fruit available. The other market is paid for by municipalities.
The fruit basket children receive include apples, pears, bananas, small packets of carrots (pupils prefer it more than big carrots), oranges, kiwi and peaches. They try to have local Norwegian produce available with other fruit coming from Italy, Poland, the Netherlands, Spain and from all over Europe. Kiwi fruit is imported from New Zealand as well as Italy.
“In Oslo the municipality has free fruit for pupils from 8-10 year grade level for three days a week. Because of the Coronavirus we have had a decline in participation over the last 2 years. We expect it to come back from August. Pupils were out of schools, while schools were afraid to have the fruit available because they were concerned that more pupils could contract the virus. Schools also had to work more, like having to ensure that pupils wash their hands as well as wash the fruit. It was just so much more admin to be done.”
“We have 42 000 school fruit and veg consumed, mostly daily. We hope to get up to 65 000 of fruit consumed at school from August, back to pre-Covid levels. Normally we have fruit for each child for about five days a week, but some schools choose to only have it available for fewer than five days. In some schools the participation level is between 20-25% and in other schools up to 40% of pupils are subscribed. Where municipalities buy the school fruit, all pupils get it for free. Everyone has the opportunity to have fruit. In this case up to 90% of pupils will take the fruit,” explains Angelsen.
He says most of the government funding is used to subsidise the price of the fruit and vegetables. The Norwegian health department requires that the fruit should not be too expensive for the parents. "Many of them are satisfied with the programme and are eager to participate for their children to receive part of the 5 a day fruit and vegetables."
The fruit and vegetable programme includes a comprehensive promotional campaign to promote healthy consumption by children. This includes creative posters, social media and other efforts at schools.
“Sometimes we have grapes and blueberries available but these fruits are very expensive so we provide it only twice during the semester, we can’t have it so many times. The fruit and veg is imported and from local Norwegian producers. The local wholesalers decide where to import the fruit from. We have a quality standard for all the fruit. As long as they meet the quality standard, they decide where to import from. We have agreements with wholesalers, they decide where to get it from. As long as they meet the quality standards. In the season they should have Norwegian apples to support local produce,” concludes Angelsen.
For more information:
Tore Angelsen
Norwegian Fruit and Vegetable Marketing Board
Tel: +47 47 5 1787
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.frukt.no
