VEG-TINCTION? Over a third of Welsh people have no idea plant diversity is in danger

LOVE YOU FROM MY HEAD TO-MA-TOES

– JONGGA KIMCHI REVEALS THE ENDANGERED VEG WE’D MISS MOST AT DINNER TIME –  

• New research from Jongga Kimchi reveals over a third (38%) of people in Wales have no idea plant diversity is in danger leaving staple vegetables at risk
• Potatoes, tomatoes and cabbages feature in the top 20 veg varieties we’d miss the most, should they disappear from our dinner plates and veg patches
• This news comes as 66% of Welsh people admit to adopting more of a plant-forward lifestyle, increasing their vegetable intake because they believe it’s better for the planet and themselves
• Jongga Kimchi has partnered with seed preservation charity, Garden Organic to help save the produce at risk of disappearing from our dinners

Move over avocados, make way mushrooms – the humble spud has been voted Wales’ favourite vegetable. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the top 20 vegetation for the Wales includes broccoli,  spinach – and Brussel Sprouts as well as sweet potato, cabbage, peppers, peas, leeks and, ironically, tomatoes – the fruit that often masquerades as a vegetable.

In fact, people in Wales love these greens so much that two in five couldn’t imagine not being able to buy staple fruits and veggies in their local store. However, 38 per cent have no idea plant diversity is in danger and that this might impact the future of their dinner plate.

The study, commissioned by Kimchi brand, Jongga, also found 94 per cent of people in Wales are worried about the effects climate change will have on plant diversity. Experts at UK organic growing charity, Garden Organic, estimate many hundreds of varieties of vegetables, once widely available as seed and produce, have disappeared. And if this pattern continues, consumers could face a future lacking in plant biodiversity, putting some of the vegetables eaten today at risk of dying out.

Jongga has worked with the green-fingered charity to create a video highlighting the importance of preserving endangered plants people rely on every day to make meals.

Catrina Fenton, Head of Garden Organic’s Heritage Seed Library, which saves and re-introduces rare seeds, enabling everyone the chance to grow and enjoy fantastic forgotten foods, said: “Plants have a simple way of adapting to different challenges: genetic diversity.

“The more diversity we can find and reintroduce into our food systems, including what we grow at home, the greater our resilience to future pressures in a changing environment.

“Loss of diversity in our plant food systems decreases the choices available to develop better adapted plant populations.

“Lack of biodiversity can leave food production much more vulnerable to stress events, such as outbreaks of disease, pests and climate change, which ultimately could impact the fruits and vegetables available to future generations.”

The study also found the Welsh are increasingly going green with their eating habits, with 59 per cent eating more of their ‘five-a-day’ now than they did five years’ ago. With 30 per cent of these respondents doing so because it’s better for the planet, while 40 per cent want to do more for their health.

Out of the 11 per cent who aren’t as green minded and eating fewer veggies, 57 per cent said this is due to the lack of variety they see stocked on the shelves. The research also found, of the meat and fish eaters in Wales, three in five already are, or plan on, adopting a more plant-based diet. And 57 per cent of those polled via OnePoll will incorporate fruits and vegetables into their meals at least nine times a week.

People in Wales aren’t just upping their intake of greens because of the positive nutritional benefits though, as 98 per cent enjoy eating fruits and vegetables – meaning it could be even more of a shock when certain kinds start to disappear from tables.

Catrina Fenton added: “The risk of more vegetables disappearing continues year on year, yet the Heritage Seed Library has managed to conserve varieties which used to be commercially available but now are no longer on the market.”

Jennifer Lee, Head of Global Food Business Unit, Daesang, for Jongga added: “As our intake of fruit and vegetables continues to rise, it’s paramount we begin raising awareness of the latest sustainability crisis.

“Many see the food in their fridges as a never-ending resource, but sadly this is not the case. Shockingly, over the last century 75 per cent of plant diversity has been lost, with 95 per cent of cabbage varieties disappearing from our plates.

“Fermentation and preservation go hand-in-hand. It’s a technique that has been utilised by civilizations for centuries to preserve ingredients we rely on to make meals for our families, friends and communities.

“Kimchi is a  traditional, Korean fermented food, made from  more than 8 vegetables such as cabbage, onion, garlic, leek, all of which are found in Britain’s top 20 favourite vegetables.  As a fermented Kimchi brand rooted in preservation, we are passionate about continuing this tradition, preserving plant diversity so that we can protect those at risk of extinction.” This is why we’ve partnered with Garden Organic to ensure the delicious plants we enjoy in our day-to-day lives remain in circulation to be enjoyed by generations to come.

TOP 20 FAVOURITE VEGETABLES

1.                   Potatoes

2.                   Tomatoes

3.                   Carrots

4.                   Onions

5.                   Mushrooms

6.                   Lettuce

7.                   Broccoli

8.                   Garlic

9.                   Peppers

10.               Cucumber

11.               Peas

12.               Green beans

13.               Cauliflower

14.               Cabbage

15.               Sweetcorn

16.               Sweet potatoes

17.               Leeks

18.               Beetroot

19.               Spinach

20.               Brussel sprouts

BRITISH VEG BACK FROM THE BRINK, CONSERVED IN THE HERITAGE SEED LIBRARY –The below vegetable varieties were once commonly used across the UK.  However, due to changes in farming and gardening practices, these varieties began to disappear and were in danger of extinction.  Thanks to efforts from the HSL, these varieties have now been saved and are in use across the UK.  These are all types of vegetables that would have been mass produced at one point in time but due to farming practices, these varieties became endangered but have now been saved across the UK thanks to the HSL efforts.

1.                   Beetroot Dobbies Purple

2.                   Cabbage Webbs Kinver Globe

3.                   Climbing French Bean

4.                   Dwarf French Bean Xenia Field

5.                   Kale Tall Kale

6.                   Lettuce Bloody Warrior

7.                   Pea Yorkshire Hero

8.                   Runner Bean Black Magic

9.                   Spinach King of Denmark