The Welsh Government’s First Minister, Carwyn Jones, has praised the quality of the Welsh food and drink sector and encouraged people to buy local during a visit to an award-winning farm shop in Gorslas, Carmarthenshire.
The First Minister took a tour of the family-run Cwmcerrig Farm Shop and Grill and sampled some of the first-rate Welsh produce on offer.
The shop sells beef, lamb and poultry which it rears to high animal welfare standards on Cwmcerrig farm, as well as a wide range of other locally sourced products.
More than 600 products from the Carmarthenshire area are on offer, with a total of 1000 products for the whole of Wales.
The First Minister said: “Cwmcerrig Farm Shop and Grill is an impressive showcase of produce from Carmarthenshire and Wales. The pride it takes in sourcing locally wherever possible means increased financial returns for local food and farming businesses and it raises the profile and reputation of home grown produce.
“The business creates a real farm to fork experience, allowing consumers to learn about the provenance of their food, providing excellent choice, and giving customers the confidence that their food has been raised to high welfare standards.
“As I have been reminded today, the quality of Welsh produce is second-to-none. I encourage everybody to support their local businesses and ensure that the food they enjoy with family and friends is bought locally wherever possible.”
The First Minister also spoke of the Welsh Government’s new draft food and drink action plan, which aims to deliver growth and jobs in the food and farming sector and increase the profile and reputation of Welsh food.
He said: “Our new action plan is designed to ensure that Wales’ food industry reaches its full potential. We already have a good story to tell on food and drink, with Wales having seen a 6% growth in food and drinks sales last year, however we’re determined to do more. I encourage all interested parties to get involved and have their say.”
Mr Jones is pictured above with Cwmcerrig partner Roland Watkins, who said: “We were delighted to welcome the First Minister to our shop and grill. We’ve had a number of VIP visitors over the years and it is good to see that they are always impressed with our work and the quality of our produce.”
