Fresh produce sector warns UK cannot 'grow its way out' of food security crisis

UK food security could be weakened by government trade policies that risk driving up costs and disrupting fresh produce imports, the Fresh Produce Consortium has warned.

The industry body said Britain cannot simply “grow its way out” of food security challenges without protecting a strong and balanced global supply network.

Its warning comes amid growing pressure for the UK to increase domestic food production in response to climate disruption, rising costs, labour shortages and instability in international supply chains.

Fresh Produce Consortium chief executive Nigel Jenney said the debate was being oversimplified, warning that a narrow focus on domestic production could create new risks for consumers.

“The solution isn’t as simple as ‘grow more here’,” he said.

Mr Jenney said land availability remained a major challenge, while the UK was also increasingly exposed to the same climate shocks affecting key growing regions overseas.

“We absolutely can grow more domestically, but food security depends on achieving the right balance between UK production and diverse seasonal sourcing from around the world,” he said.

Imported fresh produce remains essential to feeding the country throughout the year, the FPC warned, particularly when UK-grown fruit and vegetables are out of season.

Any disruption could have direct consequences for consumers by increasing costs and weakening year-round access to affordable fruit and vegetables.

According to Mr Jenney, the UK imports around four million tonnes of fresh produce from non-EU countries, representing about half of the country’s fresh produce imports from outside the EU.

This includes many of the fruits eaten by consumers on a daily basis.

“That global supply network is not a weakness — it is a critical part of our national food security strategy,” he said.

The warning centres on proposed UK-EU “Reset” arrangements, including potential changes to sanitary and phytosanitary checks on food imports.

SPS rules cover checks designed to protect human, animal and plant health.

However, the FPC warned that adopting EU rules for food destined solely for UK consumption could create unnecessary regulatory and financial burdens on imports from outside the bloc.

Mr Jenney questioned why the UK would “deliberately place feeding the nation at greater risk” by adopting EU legislation for supplies intended only for the domestic market.

He warned that relying too heavily on EU supply would not be enough to meet the UK’s needs.

“In effect we are assuming the EU alone will wish to supply the volumes and seasonal continuity the UK requires? It simply cannot,” he said.

“The scale and seasonality of UK fresh produce demand requires a balanced domestic and global supply model. This is absolutely imperative.”

The FPC said the government must recognise the strategic importance of maintaining strong trading relationships with non-EU suppliers.

Mr Jenney described the wider global supply chain as “not optional”, saying it remained fundamental to reducing food security risks.

The FPC claimed the policy changes under discussion could add hundreds of millions of pounds in officially imposed costs to global food imports.

This would come at a time when affordability, resilience and supply chain stability should be the government’s priority, the organisation warned.

Mr Jenney also questioned the scientific basis for the SPS changes being discussed.

He said the regulations and wider import inspection regime expected under the changes were “simply unnecessary” and would add no meaningful benefit to UK trade or consumers.

According to the FPC, UK controls on fresh produce from the rest of the world have already changed significantly since leaving the EU.

The organisation said a more science-based approach had reduced or removed what it described as outdated border inspection requirements.

Mr Jenney said the sector supported a sensible reset with the EU, but warned it should not come at the expense of wider food security.

“We support a sensible reset, but not at any cost,” he said.

He added that the FPC had repeatedly offered practical proposals to support trade with both the EU and the rest of the world.

The organisation fears the fresh produce sector could once again be ignored, leaving businesses to absorb the consequences of short-term political decisions.

The FPC said the UK must avoid replacing one supply risk with another, warning that food security depends on keeping both domestic production and global trade routes open.