£1.9bn boost possible from more homegrown fruit and veg

Replacing half of the fruit and vegetables Britain imports but could grow at home could generate £1.9 billion for farmers and lift UK food self-sufficiency to 66%, new analysis suggests.

The report estimates the expansion would require less than 50,000 hectares — around 0.3% of the UK’s farmed area — while returning overall food self-sufficiency to its highest level since 2000.

The Green Alliance's proposal comes as Britain remains heavily dependent on overseas horticulture, importing 86% of its fruit and 44% of its vegetables.

Supporters of the plan argue that increasing domestic production would make supplies more resilient to extreme weather and disruption overseas while creating new opportunities for British growers.

Recent storms and droughts in major producing regions such as Morocco and southern Spain have previously contributed to shortages of salad crops including tomatoes, peppers and berries on UK supermarket shelves.

The analysis suggests replacing half of the imports that are suitable for the British climate could substantially reduce that exposure, despite recent poor cereal harvests caused by extreme weather being factored into the calculations.

It comes as the government prepares its forthcoming Horticulture Sector Growth Plan, with industry representatives calling for policies that make expansion commercially viable.

John Walgate, Chief Executive of the British Growers Association, said: “We should be hugely proud of our growers, who are amongst the most innovative in the world.”

He warned that overseas conflict and extreme weather were threatening food supplies at the same time as British growers faced difficulties making a profit.

“And with extreme weather and conflict overseas threatening supplies of fruit and vegetables whilst British growers struggle to turn a profit, it’s time the government stepped up to secure the nation’s food supply, drive economic growth, and gave the production of healthy home grown produce the boost it needs.”

Walgate said growers were not seeking direct subsidies but wanted horticulture to be treated as a strategically important sector.

“We’re not asking for handouts or subsidy. We just need to be treated as the strategically important industry that we are.”

“The Horticulture Sector Growth Plan is the opportunity for government to do that.”

A major part of the report’s proposals centres on expanding protected cropping.

It calls for new glasshouses to be fast-tracked alongside industrial developments and AI data centres, allowing growers to use waste heat that would otherwise be lost.

Glasshouse production could also provide greater protection from the weather extremes increasingly affecting harvests both in Britain and overseas.

Energy costs are identified as another significant barrier to growth.

The report argues that growers need help to move away from expensive fossil gas towards lower-cost renewable electricity, including support for long-term fixed-price energy contracts and investment in the transition to cleaner energy.

It says volatility linked to international conflicts has weakened the competitiveness of UK horticulture because of its current reliance on fossil gas.

Lydia Collas, head of natural environment at Green Alliance, said dependence on imported fruit and vegetables was leaving the UK food system vulnerable to overseas weather shocks.

She said the amount of additional land needed to make a significant difference to food self-sufficiency was comparatively small.

“Our analysis shows we need just 50,000 hectares to deliver a big boost to self sufficiency. This is a fraction of the 2 million hectares currently used to grow feed for livestock in the UK.”

The report links the proposal with changing consumer diets and argues that future land use should reflect demand for more fruit and vegetables.

Anna Taylor of The Food Foundation said affordability and access would also need to be addressed alongside increased production.

“We need to make it easier for everyone to access affordable, fresh nutritious food.”

She said boosting British growers should go hand in hand with improving access to affordable fruit and vegetables in communities where healthy food is hardest to find.

The report argues that increasing domestic horticulture could therefore deliver a combination of stronger farm incomes, greater food self-sufficiency and more resilient supply chains.

Industry leaders now want the government’s Horticulture Sector Growth Plan to address the practical barriers holding growers back, including planning, energy costs and investment in protected cropping, if the potential £1.9 billion opportunity is to be realised.