In a letter to the Secretary of State, grower representatives warn that vital funding for British fruit and vegetable production is due to expire this year when the extended Fruit and Veg Aid scheme ends in December, with no replacement in place.听
While growers in the EU, Scotland, and Wales will continue receiving this crucial support, those in England risk being left behind.
The previous government's commitment to develop an expanded replacement for the Fruit and Veg Aid Scheme was welcome, but this has not been reciprocated by the current government. Horticulture businesses are long-term investors, and need certainty to plan ahead.
鈥淲e鈥檙e ready to grow more, produce more, and help turn the tide on diet-related illness. But we need government backing to do it.鈥�
NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board Chair Martin Emmett
Meanwhile, the government has set out its ambition to raise the healthiest generation of children ever and to 'tackle the obesity epidemic' in order to ease pressure on the NHS as part of its '' for England.
However, has revealed one in ten children don鈥檛 know where carrots come from, highlighting a growing disconnect between young people and their food.
We need government backing
NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board Chair Martin Emmett said, who co-signed the letter to the Health Secretary, said: 鈥淭o truly 鈥榤ake the healthy choice the easy choice鈥�, as the government has pledged and is also a core part of the government鈥檚 food strategy, the UK must ensure a reliable, affordable, and healthy supply of fresh produce. That means backing domestic growers.鈥�
Despite British growers producing food to world-leading standards, only 17% of the fruit and 53% of the vegetables we eat are grown in the UK. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a huge, missed opportunity,鈥� Martin said.
Growers say the government's health ambitions can't be met without a strong horticulture sector. Yet the sector has faced continued economic shocks, planning barriers, supply chain uncertainty and extreme weather events. To truly boost confidence and meet the government鈥檚 ambition that requires long-term investment in homegrown produce.
Martin added: 鈥淥ur horticulture growth strategy lays out the foundations for success. We鈥檙e ready to grow more, produce more, and help turn the tide on diet-related illness. But we need government backing to do it.
鈥淲e urge the Health Secretary to work closely with Defra and industry leaders to unlock the potential of British horticulture and help deliver on the government鈥檚 vision for a healthier England.鈥�
Read the letter in full:
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Secretary of State Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP
cc: Secretary of State Rt Hon Steve Reed MP
Dear Health Secretary,
We welcome the ambition set out in your Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England to raise the healthiest generation of children ever and end the obesity epidemic. As the leading growers of fruit and vegetables in the country, we work hard to put a healthy, nutritious 5-a-day on plates and in lunch boxes across the country.
We write to ask you to support the growth of more fruit and vegetables in the UK. Last year, only 17% of the fruit consumed in the UK was grown here and 53% of our vegetables. In 2023 alone we lost 26% of our fruit orchards and 141,000 football pitches worth of fields used to grow vegetables. These businesses have faced continued economic shocks, planning barriers and supply chain uncertainty, leading to a lack of business and investment confidence.
British growers want to do more to support your important work. Not only because the UK has world leading standards in food production, which are not always replicated by our imports, but also because by growing it locally, we can better connect people with their food. Our children are more disconnected from their food than ever before. It cannot be right that one in ten children don鈥檛 know where carrots come from. Fruit and vegetables should play a leading role in delivering the transformational change needed to end the obesity epidemic, and the new mandatory Healthy Start targets.
This year, vital funding from a previous EU scheme will sunset with no replacement, leaving English growers at a disadvantage while EU, Scottish and Welsh fruit and veg growers continue to receive investment. This match-funded support enables Producer Organisations to bring together growers to support better supply chain fairness, invest in productivity and resilience, and market our produce 鈥� all elements crucial to the success and growth of farming businesses. 91仓库has long campaigned for access to similar funding for all horticulture businesses.
Promises by successive governments to replace the scheme with an expanded offer have failed to materialise.
We would welcome your support for this endeavour to invest in and grow this vital sector. From apples and carrots to strawberries and broccoli, British growers produce some of the tastiest fruit and vegetables in the world. We look forward to working with you to deliver your 10 Year Health Plan.
Yours,
Martin Emmett, Chair, NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board
John Walgate, CEO, British Growers Association
Nick Marston, Chair, British Berry Growers
Ali Capper, Chair, British Apples and Pears
Simon Conway, Chair, Tomato Growers Association
Scott Walker, CEO, GB Potatoes
Tim Elcombe, Chair, British Onions
Rodger Hobson, Chair, British Carrot Growers Association
David Simmons, Chair, Brassica Growers Association
Tim Casey, Chair, Asparagus Growers Association
