Lib Dems blast government neglect of fruit and veg sector

The UK government’s decision to ditch plans for a horticulture strategy for England is an “absolute disgrace”, according to the chairman of the Liberal Democrats’ food and farming group.

Stuart Roberts, the former deputy president of the NFU, hit out at the government’s decision while speaking during a Nature Friendly Farming Network fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrats’ autumn conference in Bournemouth on Monday 25 September.

Mr Roberts criticised the government for failing to invest more in its own horticulture sector to boost domestic production of fruit and veg crops, while relying on imports to meet demand.

See also: Ditching of English horticulture strategy ‘beggars belief’

He said Lib Dem policy was to invest in the country’s horticulture sector and support growers to produce more fruit and veg crops.  

His comment comes just months after reports of orchards being torn down in the UK because of a shortage of farm labour to pick and pack the crops and low supermarket prices. 

The UK currently produces about 50% of the vegetables it consumes, but only about 16% of fruit is produced domestically.

Stuart Roberts (left) and other panellists at the meeting © MAG/Philip Case

Other panellists at the fringe meeting, hosted by Farmers Weekly news editor Philip Clarke, emphasised the value of local and seasonal food, ensuring small communities can contribute to their food economies and that less produce goes to waste.  

Amy Chapple, a mixed farmer at Redwoods Farm in Tiverton, Devon, has started thinking about ways horticulture can be improved for a future generation of farmers.  

She said: “It’s something that seems very complicated to a lot of farmers, and sometimes they’d like made simpler.

“Bringing someone onto the farm and working with other growers is essential to bringing communities together, and making sure they can get helpful advice and future strategies.  

“People love to be involved. Social media is a great tool to do this that older generations of farmers miss out on. There’s a good sense of community there, too.” 

Speaking to Farmers Weekly after the event, Mr Roberts said: “We want farmers providing good food, and looking after the biodiversity on their farms. Too often it’s seen as a binary choice between the two options. They’re two sides of the same coin, not polar opposites.”