Industry figures have welcomed a report from MPs calling on Defra to investigate the key obstacles to increasing production of fruit and vegetables in the UK -- as well as championing increased production.

But they also highlighted the negative impact of EU law on crop protection products - an area outside the scope of the inquiry.

The report by the House of Commons' Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee, which follows its investigation into food security, says Defra should commission research "to establish the reasons for the relatively low level of domestic fruit and vegetable production."

This should include a study of the procurement practices of supermarkets, food manufacturers and the food service industry to see how they impact on the problem.

It also highlights concerns across all production sectors over funding for research and development and particularly the loss of applied science skills.

Welcoming the "very sensible" report, chief executive of Stockbridge Technology Centre Graham Ward said if the Government wants to increase production it must deal with the major disincentive growers now face from EU crop protection legislation. "The government must help us to deal with the problem with extra research monies."

Echoing Ward, Crop Protection Association chief executive Dominic Dyer called for a follow-up inquiry into the impact of EU regulations.

In evidence to the committee, the Government's chief scientific adviser called EU rules, which introduce hazard-based - rather than risk-based - criteria for assessing the safety of pesticides, "an abrogation of scientific responsibility."

Welcoming the call for a more active stance from Defra, Tim Mudge, director of growers association, PVGA, said: "There are huge commercial issues. Growers have got to get the levels of return that mean they can reinvest."

Adrian Barlow, chief executive of English Apples and Pears agreed, saying a wider understanding by retailers and public sector procurers of the need for grower profitability was essential. He said: "Unless they get sufficient return, you won't see growth in production of horticultural crops."

R&D FUNDING a VIEW FROM SCRI

Defra funding for R&D has been so poor that Scotland is overtaking England as a leader in horticultural research, says chief executive of Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) Peter Gregory.

He says the institute has benefited from devolution as horticultural funding was taken out of Defra's hands into those of the more generous Scottish Government.

He said: "Horticulture is in a bit of a mess (in England). You only have levy body money. Here we still have some horticultural research funds. Soft fruit is funded by the Scottish Government to the tune of about 800,000 to 1m a year.

"Including potatoes you can add another ?¨o6m. We also have a new ?¨o4m glasshouse going up at the end of this year."

He added that the Scottish Government is responsible for maintaining the science base and commissioning its research.

He added: "Defra is not interested because it has been captured by the environmental lobby. Mentally, they have been in a period of food surpluses. The Treasury's view was that you don't need to worry about producing things because you can just buy it on the open market (from) wherever you want."