Land in demand to grow produce

More land for allotments is needed in Shrewsbury to meet the demands of a growing band of cost-cutting, green-fingered "yummy mummies".

With living costs increasing by the day through rising food and fuel bills, more and more people feeling the pinch of economic pressures are resorting to growing their own fresh, organic fruit and vegetables.

A shortage in allotments is leading to long waiting lists, with Castlefields allotments currently having 27 names on its waiting list.

Town MP Daniel Kawczynski has now tabled a Commons motion urging Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council to step up its efforts to provide more land for those who want to fill their pantries with their own hard work.

He said: "I grow my own vegetables at home in Shawbury, but not everybody has that opportunity, if you live in the towns gardens are not big enough and people wish to grow their own vegetables.

"They want to be able to eat organic which is increasingly expensive. The biggest group of people who want to grow their own vegetables are young mums, but there aren't enough allotments and the waiting lists are growing," added the Tory MP.

Jack Baker, assistant secretary of Castlefields allotments, said people were definitely more interested in growing their own fruit and vegetables.

"About 12 years ago we couldn't get rid of them. Some people took on an extra half-plot and still use them. But now we've got people queuing up for them, and we don't want to take the extra halves back because those people did us a favour all those years ago when the plots were just not being used."

Mr Baker, 72, has tended his plot for 16 years and uses much of his produce himself, or shares it among his family. But he said that growing his own vegetables did not save as much money as people may perceive.

"It's a help, but when you think you pay your rent on the plot and pay for all the seeds - they've all gone up in price - it's only really the labour you save on," he added.

Local Government Minister Iain Wright said councils have a duty to provide a sufficient number of allotments where they consider that there is a demand.

By Sunita Patel and Pam Griffin