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Burnham Must Protect Britain’s Fresh Produce Supply From £300 Million Reset Bill
FPC urges Prime Minister to defend UK consumers and retain proven risk-based controls at 20 November summit The Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC) is calling on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to secure a fresh produce solution at next month’s UK–EU summit in Brussels, warning that failure to protect vital global supply chains will saddle the sector with more than £300 million in avoidable annual costs, ultimately hitting shoppers. FPC says the Government must negotiate boldly for U
Discounters Set The Pace For British Apples
Aldi and Lidl led supermarket purchases of British apples in September, with both discounters taking a substantially larger share of home-grown fruit than their overall grocery market shares. Figures from British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) put Aldi at the top of the purchasing table, buying approximately 2,000 tonnes during September 2026. That represented around 22% of British apples supplied by BAPL growers, compared with the retailer’s grocery market share of roughly 11
Farming With Light: Thorvald Wins TIME Recognition As Robot Crop Protection Expands
An agricultural robot that tackles crop disease with ultraviolet light has earned a place on TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026 list, putting a spotlight on an alternative to conventional fungicide spraying. Saga Robotics’ electric Thorvald platform is already treating an estimated 30% of the UK’s tabletop strawberry production in 2026, according to the company. Saga says it works with 15 leading UK strawberry growers, supported by four operational hubs. Operating at night, Thorv
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Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Scottish Farmers Sound Food Security Alarm As Britain Relies On Global Supplies
Scottish farming leaders have warned that mounting pressure on domestic food production could leave Britain increasingly exposed to international disruption, as figures reveal how heavily the country already depends on supplies from around the globe. The warning comes against a backdrop of extensive reliance on overseas suppliers. Defra figures show imports accounted for 42% of UK food consumption in 2025, measured by the farm-gate value of raw food. The EU supplied 23%, with
Fen Farming Eyes Record Aldi Pumpkin Season Despite Dry Summer
Fen Farming is preparing to supply more than 500,000 pumpkins to Aldi this Halloween, after adapting its growing methods to cope with hot, dry conditions. The family-run business near Wisbech, on the Cambridgeshire–Norfolk border, has supplied Aldi since 2014 and is now the retailer’s largest pumpkin supplier. Volumes have increased from 25,000 in the partnership’s first year to more than half a million this season. The farm’s moisture-retaining silt soils have helped protect
Global Garlic Trade Offers Opportunities Beyond The Bulb
Weather risks, freight costs and demand for convenient product formats are shaping the international garlic trade, with opportunities for suppliers able to combine reliable sourcing with effective storage and processing. An overview published by Business Matters highlights the importance of harvest conditions, cold-storage stocks and shipping costs in influencing prices, alongside opportunities to supply peeled cloves, dehydrated flakes, granules and powders. The scale of the
Extreme Hot Days To Rise 49 Per Cent In New Era Of Weather Whiplash
UK growers, suppliers, and retailers face mounting risks from extreme swings between drought and flooding, with new modelling warning that the number of exceptionally hot days could increase by up to 49 per cent by 2050. A new era of climate whiplash, categorised by sudden swings in extreme weather, is set to place increasing pressure on the UK’s food supply chain as unpredictable climate patterns disrupt growing conditions, reduce agricultural output, and threaten the reliab
Pumpkin Buying Rises 10 Per Cent As UK Growers Prepare For Halloween
Pumpkins are attracting more British shoppers ahead of Halloween, with 1.2 million households purchasing one in the four weeks to 4 October 2026, highlighting opportunities for producers like Aldi’s biggest pumpkin supplier Fen Farming which is gearing up for a record season. Figures from Worldpanel by Numerator show the number of UK households buying pumpkins increased by 10 per cent compared with the same period last year, demonstrating growing seasonal interest as retailer
British-Grown Kissabel Apple Season Kicks Off With In-Store Sampling
The 2026 British Kissabel apple season is underway as Waitrose and Worldwide Fruit carry out promotions in London to engage with shoppers and raise awareness of varietal innovation among British growers. Image: Worldwide Fruit Marking the start of this year’s harvest, the initiative on 4-10 October, delivered in partnership with Worldwide Fruit, aimed to showcase British-grown produce and celebrate innovation in apple breeding, reports HortNews. An eye-catching display and s
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