Buying locally would bring festive cheer to businesses, says AM

Local businesses should take advantage of the top quality Welsh food and drink in the run-up to Christmas, Joyce Watson AM has said.
The Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales believes that almost the whole Christmas meal could be made of up Welsh ingredients, which could boost the local economy.
Having been asked by Joyce in the National Assembly, First Minister Carwyn Jones agreed that businesses should take advantage of the quality produce on offer.
Joyce said, ‘I recently stayed at the Maelgwyn Bed and Breakfast in Harlech I was offered local produce that, in my opinion, was as good as, if not much better than, anything that can be imported. The tea served there was specially made to suit the local water and the sausages, bacon and eggs were all locally sourced.
‘Wales produces some of the best meat, cheeses and yoghurts in the world, there’s no reason why almost all of the Christmas meal, or indeed any meal from sunrise to sunset, can’t be locally sourced. This would help local businesses and farmers, bringing increased prosperity to the local economy.’
Responding to Joyce’s question in the Assembly, First Minister Carwyn Jones said, ‘One of the big changes in the supply of food, particularly over the past 15 years, has been the tendency to source more and more food locally. We have managed to open up new markets for our exports so that what we know—namely, that we produce some of the best food in the world—is made known to others so that they do not lose out.’
For further details about Joyce Watson’s work or to contact her please click on www.joycewatson.co.uk.