Executive summary

The project

Grassroots Food Network and Asian Healthy Community Network brought together Asian allotment holders and farmers in the urban fringe of the South Pennines and trialled the growing of Asian speciality crops including coriander, fenugreek and spinach. Potential local supply chains to supply the neighbouring urban populations were explored. The project was supported by the Farmers Fund and the EU Interreg IIIB SOSII (Sustainable Open Space) programme.

The opportunity:

• The ethnic foods market is growing, and Yorkshire is a major manufacturing centre;
• ‘Novel’ Asian crops such as coriander can be grown, in the wet and windy climate of the South Pennines. Crop trials were successful at 800 feet above sea level, so could be an option for small farms close to urban markets;
• Many other “Asian” crops can be grown, like chick peas, chillies and special kinds of squash;
• Market research indicated demand for locally grown Asian crops from customers and a wide range of outlets;
• There are gaps in the well-developed Asian foods market, including fresh produce like fenugreek and speciality dairy produce;
• Developing local Asian food networks can have wider benefits relating to community and economic development, urban and rural regeneration, community cohesion, health and tourism.

The challenge:

• Asian speciality crops face the same pressures as all local produce, including volatile markets, competition from cheaper imports and increased market concentration;
• Growing the crops successfully, and demand for the crops, does not result in a viable route to market. Local supply chains are fragmented and there is a lack of processing and distribution infrastructure;
• It is vital to get added value back to the ground, through producer involvement in processing, distribution and marketing;
• Some local growers and wholesalers lack capacity for compliance with assurance schemes for supplying major buyers like the public sector;
• The dominance of convenience foods in the ethnic foods market, in particular the growth of supermarket own brands, limits opportunities for direct sales of fresh Asian produce;
• Direct outlets like farmers‘ markets and farms shops, a growth area for sale of fresh produce, are not tapping into the Asian customer base.

The way forward:

• Vertical and horizontal supply chain co-ordination could enable the development of a viable local market. Regional support for development of the “ethnic” food supply chain from farm to plate is required;
• scaling up the Asian crop trials, improving continuity of supply, extending the season, and increasing the range of produce;
• Optimize the product—freshness, quality and specific crop varieties attract a premium;
• Get local produce to manufacturers to replace imports in the region‘s dynamic ethnic foods manufacturing industry and promote home-cooking of Asian dishes with fresh, local ingredients;
• Food related community projects, from allotment growing to community cafes, can form the basis for development of local food businesses, including social enterprise, and facilitate the development of local supply chains;
• The local food chain can be part of the food trail; unusual local produce can add a new dimension to tourism.

The first crop of spinach at the trial site.

Haneef Asad researches local produce at St. James Wholesale Market in Bradford.

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