Extract from Welsh Parliament - 90 Second statements: Morrisons - Mar 1

Jenny Rathbone MS: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I understand that our patron saint, Dewi Sant, told Welsh soldiers to wear the leek on their helmets so that they could distinguish their comrades in battle from the Saxons who wore similar armour. This suggests that leeks must have been much more plentiful in the first century than they are in the twenty-first century, if they were being used for decoration rather than food. 

Whilst one of the supermarkets I visited on Monday evening had run out of leeks, the other two did have them. But the one I bought in the supermarket, and the other from my local street barrow were grown in Lincolnshire. Nevertheless, there has been progress in growing these iconic Welsh vegetables in Wales since I raised this matter in the Chamber on St David's Day last year. For example, in Morrisons, who currently sell both Blas y Tir leeks and Lincolnshire leeks, from July this year, the Lincolnshire leeks will be replaced by Welsh leeks in all of the Morrisons Welsh stores. And, like many other supermarkets, they are promoting Welsh leeks and other locally sourced products, including Welsh daffodils, as part of their St David's Day celebrations.