Fruit and Vegetables

A lack of training, access and opportunity is barring urban horticulturists from becoming commercial growers, a House of Lords committee has been told

A Leading horticulture body has hit out at supermarkets saying that retailers’ failure to back British growers over the winter has led directly to empty shelves and rationing.

A boost in both production and consumption of fruit and vegetables is essential if the UK population is to reach its required ’five a day’, according to a new report.

The UK throws away enough poultry to make 800 million Boxing Day curries, while the amount of potatoes that are binned could cook up Christmas Day roasties to satisfy for the nation for the next 48 years, according to new figures from non-governmental org

Government disregard for farmers and food production has led directly to the growing food crisis, NFU president Minette Batters has said. 

The NFU is calling for urgent clarity on the future of the Seasonal Workers Scheme, amid claims the industry’s future rests ‘on a knife edge’.

A multi-year agreement has been announced for the distribution of two plant-stimulating lactobacillus aimed to improve soil conditions and nutrient interactions.

The horticultural industry has established a grower-owned working group to provide support to a successor body to AHDB Horticulture to take over processing of EAMU applications and emergency authorisations.

Three growers are urging their colleagues to complete a ballot to gauge views on the AHDB levy in order to paint a ‘truly representative picture’ for Defra.

Horticulture chiefs have warned growers will face a steep increase in costs as they struggle to retain and attract workers amid the Covid-19 pandemic.