With 2 billion 80g portions of peas grown in the UK each year, Great British Pea Week (1st-7th of July 2024) returns for its ninth year, marking the busiest season for the UK pea industry. The annual celebration celebrates the versatile vegetable and its hard-working farmers who work around the clock each summer to deliver frozen peas to the nation.
Great British Pea Week gives the UK a reason to celebrate the little green wonders during the busy pea harvesting season, inspiring the nation to make peas their vegetable of choice for everyday cooking.
Launched by the Yes Peas! campaign back in 2015, Great British Pea Week recognises the industry-wide effort made by experts across the pea vining sector during their busiest period, who work hard to produce 2 billion portions of peas for the UK market and beyond each year.
Alongside encouraging usage, Great British Pea Week also champions the 700 pea farmers across the UK who work within various grower groups to ensure that Great Britain remains the largest producer and consumer of frozen peas in Europe, to maintain the country’s impressive track record of being 90% self-sufficient in pea production.
Holly Jones, Crop Association Executive at the British Growers Association, which runs the Yes Peas! campaign, comments: “Nearly all peas in supermarket freezers are grown on a British farm by a British farmer, and Great British Pea Week serves as the perfect occasion to celebrate those who bring our favourite veggie from field to frozen. We want to encourage the nation to not make peas a side dish, but the main event in any meal.”