302,000 free pieces of fruit a year for Taranaki kids

29 March 2012

1,557 Taranaki primary school children in 13 schools are eating their way through around 302,000 free pieces of fruit this year.

The National Government extended the Fruit in Schools programme two years ago to include both decile one and two primary and intermediate schools, reducing administration costs at the same time.

Nationally, 96,125 primary school children in 478 schools will enjoy around 18.6 million pieces of fruit this year.

"Now more children than ever are getting a healthy piece of fruit daily at school, despite tight financial times," says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

"Schools are telling us children are more settled, and there are fewer school sores and improved dental health since the kids started getting a piece of fruit a day."

"Before budget changes, Fruit in Schools cost $12 million a year to run, with just over half of that spent on fruit – the rest on funding advisors and administrators.

"Now more children are getting the fruit they need for less funding. That's value for money, and the savings, as always, go straight back into health for other services," says Mr Ryall.

Hon Tony Ryall
Minister of Health

Last updated: Friday, March 30, 2012