More fruit and veg good for economy, Green Alliance says

Expanding the UK horticulture sector could provide a considerable boost to the UK economy, help meet the government’s health targets and create thousands of jobs, a report by the Green Alliance has highlighted.

The think tank outlined that, if fruit and vegetable production in the UK was increased by 86%, as estimated by the Food Foundation to meet healthy diet guidelines, it would add £2.3bn to the UK economy.

It would also create 23,520 jobs and add 3% to farm profits across the country.

See also: Welsh government commits £2m to community food strategy

Increasing UK self-sufficiency in fruit and vegetable growing by 10%, the think tanks says, could add a further £3.3bn to the economy, on top of the £2.3bn from expanding demand. 

The horticulture sector is currently estimated to be worth more than £5bn a year, but the UK is far less self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables than other foods, despite only one-third of UK adults eating the recommended five portions daily.

Land required

To increase production, the Green Alliance said, an estimated 113,622ha would be needed to expand production by 86%.

This, it explained, is less than the 133,000ha currently used to grow “inefficient” bioenergy crops, which produce 100 times less energy than solar for every hectare and require government subsidies to be viable. 

To address the issue, the think tank said the UK government should use the forthcoming land use framework to facilitate horticultural expansion by identifying suitable sites and soils.

A horticulture strategy is also needed to address barriers faced by UK producers, including high energy prices, unfairness in supply chains, and a system where retailers disproportionately profit from selling unhealthy food.

NFU response

NFU horticulture and potatoes board chairman Martin Emmett said: “We’ve long called for investment in UK horticulture, a sector ripe for growth.

“With the new government focused on economic growth, there’s a real opportunity to align policy with this ambition.”

Mr Emmett added that to support the nation’s health and food security, it’s vital the government introduces a new scheme that enables the entire sector to invest and grow, in addition to providing clarity on the Seasonal Worker scheme visa figures.