Tesco urges low-carbon fertilisers to move beyond farm trials

Tesco has urged the food industry to help low-carbon fertilisers move from trials to wider farm use, saying British growers need more protection from price shocks and supply disruption.

The retailer said fertiliser price rises and pressure on global supply chains were increasing uncertainty for farmers.

UK-produced low-carbon fertilisers could offer a more stable domestic alternative, but limited supply, unclear long-term pricing and a lack of funding for commercial trials are slowing wider uptake.

Tesco UK chief executive Ashwin Prasad is expected to discuss the role of farm innovation in protecting food security at London Tech Week.

The retailer said wider use of domestic low-carbon fertilisers could help reduce reliance on volatile global fertiliser markets while supporting efforts to cut emissions from food production.

Trials at Tesco’s Low Carbon Concept Farm in Lincolnshire have already shown promising results.

The trial used a combination of low-carbon growing techniques, including low-carbon fertiliser, with Tesco potato supplier Branston recording a 50% reduction in potato emissions compared with traditional farming methods.

The retailer said the reduction was achieved without affecting yield or quality, while the 500 tonnes of potatoes produced through the trial went on sale in Tesco stores earlier this year.

Tesco said the results showed the potential for low-carbon fertilisers and other farm technologies to support British growers, but said more work was needed to make them commercially practical at scale.

It is calling for greater collaboration between industry, retailers and agri-tech innovators to increase production and availability.

Mr Prasad said Tesco wanted to help British farmers adopt technologies that could improve resilience and productivity.

“We want to support our British farmers in rolling out innovation – it can help increase economic growth, build resilience and improve efficiencies on farm,” he said.

“But too often promising technologies struggle to move from trial to everyday use on farms.”

He said low-carbon fertilisers were one example of a technology with potential benefits for farmers, retailers and the wider food supply chain.

“Low carbon fertilisers are a clear example,” Mr Prasad said.

“They have real potential to reduce environmental impact, strengthen the resilience of UK food production, and keep a reliable supply of British products on our shelves, but scaling them will require greater availability, clarity on price and the confidence that farmers can plan their use over the long term.”

Tesco said adoption would depend on farmers having confidence that products would be available, affordable and practical across multiple seasons.

The retailer has also relaunched its Tesco Agri-tech Challenge to identify start-ups and innovators with practical solutions for farms.

The competition is seeking technologies that could help farmers improve sustainability, resilience and productivity. Applications are open until 3 July, with winners given the chance to work with Tesco and its supplier partners, including trials on supplier farms.

Selected winners will also receive a year’s Agri-TechE membership.

Tesco said scaling farm innovation would be important in helping protect British farmers from future shocks and strengthening UK food security.

However, it said wider uptake of low-carbon fertilisers would depend on availability, pricing certainty and support for farmers to trial the products commercially.