The Ecological Movement has criticised the Ministry of Agriculture for not prioritising regionally grown organic fruit in its recent school canteen supply tender.

The Ecological Movement (Mouveco) has expressed disappointment over a recent call for tender issued by the Ministry of Agriculture for the supply of fruit to schools during the upcoming 2024/2025 school year, criticising the lack of emphasis on regionally grown organic produce.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Mouveco criticised the ministry for prioritising cost and superficial criteria, such as the requirement that fruit must be "visually appealing," over the inclusion of locally sourced organic fruit. For instance, the tender specifies that apples "mustn't be too wrinkly."

While Mouveco acknowledged the ministry's decision to increase the required proportion of organic food from 5% to 10%, it argued that this measure falls short of fulfilling political promises. The environmental organisation called for a clear strategy to gradually increase the percentage of organic and regional fruit in future tenders, arguing that predictable demand is necessary for farmers to adjust their production accordingly.

Additionally, Mouveco raised concerns about the ministry's selection of apple varieties, noting that the tender specifies types that are particularly susceptible to diseases like scab and mildew, requiring treatment with fungicides. The organisation questioned why the ministry does not allow producers to offer more resistant regional varieties, which would reduce the need for pesticides and minimise the environmental impact.