EU farm chief 'surprised' by resistance to deformed fruit

(BRUSSELS) - The European Commission expressed surprise Monday that EU nations are still refusing to allow bent or deformed fruit and vegetables onto the market, as food prices continue to rise.

A year ago, Agriculture Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel urged the 27 EU nations to remove unnecessary market standards and red tape in the fruit and vegetable sector, but most countries are opposing the move.

"Commissioner Fischer Boel is determined that this should go ahead. She is surprised by the resistance to such a practical example of simplification," said spokesman Johannes Laitenberger.

The commissioner maintains that 26 market standards are not helpful and could be removed. This would allow misshapen fruit to be sold in supermarkets, with special labelling, for use in cooking.

"In an era of high prices and growing demand this obviously would seem to make more sense than simply throwing it out," Laitenberger said.

Fruit and vegetables in the European Union are sorted in terms of quality and size, with certain dimensions being applied to determine whether a cucumber, for example, could be graded "class one".