Primary school children are being given leaflets to take home with them the fruit and vegetable scheme which sees them getting a weekly portion of fruit or vegetable.

The scheme, which has been ongoing since January 2010, sees the students getting a vegetable container twice months and a fruit container on the other two weeks of the month. 31,000 portions in recyclable containers are distributed each week.

Since the fruit container is more popular with the children, they will now be getting it three times a month and the vegetable container will go down to once a month.

The scheme, which is 75 per cent funded by the EU, costs €350,000 a year. All primary schools in the country, 135, take part in it.

Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino said during a visit to the St Julian's Primary School this morning that there were some children, who, unfortunately still resisted it.

He encouraged parents to push their children to eat healthy.

The children are to be given leaflets to take home to their guardians on how to eat healthy also in the home.

As part of the scheme, they are also given colouring books, taken on farm visits and engaged in other fun activities.

This year, talks will held at the Education Department's Home Economics seminar centre to encourage more food and vegetable consumption.