The UN General Assembly designated 2021 the International Year of Fruit and Vegetables (IYFV)
FAO is the lead agency for celebrating the year in collaboration with other relevant organizations and bodies of the United Nations system. The IYFV 2021 is a unique opportunity to raise awareness on the important role of fruits and vegetables in human nutrition, food security and health and as well in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals.
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Eat more fruit and vegetables
Canada’s fresh produce industry
Industry information
Eat more fruit and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables…
- are full of important nutrients like fibre, vitamins, and minerals
- may lower your risk for heart disease
- may lower your risk for some types of cancer
- are good for everyone!
If you just want to know everything there is about produce, you’ve come to the right place. The Ontario Produce Marketing Association has compiled all the info you need to learn more about your favourite produce:
Cooking with fruit and vegetables
Recipe ideas
Fruit & vegetables on a budget
Living on a budget? The good news about fruits and veggies in Canada is that we have access to a wide range of fresh produce year round.
Avoid spoiling:
Do your part to help food loss!
Canada’s fresh produce industry
Canadians love their fruits and veggies, consuming more than 50 billion servings of fresh produce annually. With one of the safest food supplies in the world and a wide variety of produce items available to consumers throughout the year, Canadians are privileged to have access to a multitude of fresh, healthy and nutritious produce items from a variety of geographic sources. And thanks to the people who work in the global produce industry, Canadians can also choose from more than 2,500 different types of fruit and vegetables imported from countries around the world, ranging from Kiwano to Rambutan.
Industry Overview
- Approximately 125 types of fruit and vegetables grown in Canada
- $1.7 billion in total value added (2018)
- $13.9 billion in farm-gate value (2019)
- 249,000 full-time jobs for Canadians (2019)
Learn more about what we produce
Industry information
International workers
Canadian farmers hire Canadians first but when Canadians are unavailable or unwilling to apply for farm jobs, farmers need international workers to help grow and harvest food for our tables. Seasonal workers are integral to the sector, making up 53% of Canada’s paid agricultural workforce, and we are grateful to them for the work they do and the opportunities they provide.
- International farm workers create full-time jobs for Canadians Income sent home by workers is 11 times what Canada send these same countries in foreign aid
- Farmers support a pathway to immigration for international farm workers
- International farm workers are paid the same as Canadians.
About IYFV
The International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021 (IYFV), as declared by the UN General Assembly in Resolution A/RES/74/244, aims at raising awareness of, directing policy attention to, and sharing good practices on the nutritional and health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption, the contribution of fruit and vegetable consumption to the promotion of diversified, balanced and healthy diets and lifestyles, and reducing loss and waste of fruits and vegetables.
Links & Resources:
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⦁ Cooking for kids⦁ Freggie Children’s Program for Parents
⦁ Half Your Plate Fresh Ideas
Bev Appleby
Canadian Horticultural Council / Conseil canadien de l’horticulture
T. 613 226 4880 (ext. 210)
admin@hortcouncil.ca