Within the framework of the National School Fruit Programme, the Government has increased funding from 500 million forints to HUF 1.2bn (EUR 3.9 million) since 2010, making it possible for 538 thousand children to receive at least two different kinds of fruits at least twice a week, compared to the 277 thousand schoolchildren originally covered by the programme, Zsolt Feldman said at a forum organised at the Ministry of Rural Development.
The Deputy State Secretary for Agricultural Economy stressed that over 45 million portions of fruit and fruit juice are distributed in schools each year within the framework of the Programme. Using the world-class products of Hungarian agriculture, the National School Fruit Programme gives children the chance to live a healthier and fuller life.
The National School Fruit Programme is part of the European School Fruit Programme, the goal of which is to play a long-term role in developing the right eating habits in children. A total of 25 EU member states have joined the Programme, including Hungary five years ago, and as a result over half a million Hungarian children now receive fruit regularly at school.
The Programme was launched by the European Community in 2009 to combat child malnutrition and obesity caused by unhealthy eating habits. The programme has a double goal: to make children aware of and enjoy eating fruits and vegetables, and to curb obesity by motivating them to eat foods with high nutritional value instead of unhealthy junk food.
According to a survey performed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), a healthy individual needs to consume around 400 grams of fruits and/or vegetables each day. In comparison, the world average consumption of these items is 300 grams and the EU average is 136 grams, while the average daily consumption of fruits and vegetables per person in Hungary is only 100 grams.
According to EU data, a total of 8.1 million children in 54,000 schools throughout Europe are now involved in the Programme and its popularity continues to grow. Thanks to the Programme, 538 thousand children in Hungary now receive at least two different kinds of fruits and vegetables at least twice a week at school. The effectiveness of the programme is increased by the fact that, beginning in the 2013/2014 school year, it covers not only young children up to the age of 10, but now also involves schoolchildren in grades 5 and 6.
The European Union provides at least 50 percent of the funding required to run the Programme, but the exact level of funding depends on the number of participating children in each country and on the country's level of economic development. Some 90 million euros were distributed among 25 countries for the 2013/2014 school year.
(Ministry of Rural Development)
