British carrot growers are looking to varieties from hotter climates as they seek to strengthen supply resilience and develop new commercial opportunities in a sector worth £242 million in 2025. More than 70 carrot trial plots at the British Carrot Growers Association’s annual Demonstration Day offered a timely opportunity to compare established and emerging varieties under UK growing conditions. More than 300 growers and industry representatives attended the event near York,

More than two in five farmers surveyed in Britain have considered leaving agriculture because of financial constraints, according to McCain Foods' latest Farmdex research. The survey found 42% had considered leaving, while 40% questioned whether they would still be farming in ten years. However, the proportion considering leaving was lower than the 51% reported in McCain's inaugural 2025 survey. Policy uncertainty was negatively affecting farms for 86% of respondents, while 8

Red Tractor has launched a farmer-led film, with fruit and vegetable growers among the voices showcased, to celebrate the skills, responsibility, and pride behind British food production in a bid to raise consumer awareness. Released on 6 October, ‘Proud to Farm’, recognises the contribution of more than 40,000 British farmers and growers assured by Red Tractor, and explores the different roles they perform, from food production and crop management to running businesses, main

More than eight in ten British farmers feel unable to plan for the future, and over two in five have considered leaving agriculture, according to new research which calls for technology, sustainable practices, and stronger government support to secure the sector’s future resilience. Research from McCain Foods’ second annual Farmdex survey found that financial pressures, policy uncertainty, and increasingly unpredictable weather are growing concerns for British agriculture. So

A major new research project is set to investigate bacterial plant diseases spreading across continental Europe that could pose a future threat to UK potato, carrot, sugar beet, and grapevine production in an effort to protect UK food security. Led by Keele University and funded jointly by the government and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the four-year project will focus on improving grower preparedness for potential outbreaks before the diseases become established in the

British pea growers are fighting to put a freezer staple back on the nation’s plates, launching a campaign backed by television chef Matt Tebbutt and *Clarkson’s Farm* farmer Harriet Cowan as household purchases fall to their lowest level in more than half a century. Defra figures reported by *The Telegraph* show weekly purchases have fallen from 144g per person in 1975 to just 37g in the latest year cited — a decline of around 74%. Choose British Peas, which represents the U

Norfolk fruit grower Place UK has warned of uncertainty over seasonal labour beyond 2030, highlighting the continuing dependence of British soft fruit production on overseas workers. Image: Place UK The Tunstead-based business employs around 700 people during the summer. Its fruit pickers are either Seasonal Worker visa holders or EU citizens with settled status, while approximately 85 per cent of workers staying on-site this year had previously worked at the farm. Co-managin

Britain’s pumpkin growers are facing a difficult Halloween season, with summer drought damaging crops and increasing costs as farms prepare to welcome visitors to their autumn picking events. Eleanor Gilbert, who runs the Berkshire Farm Girl Pumpkin Patch and Maize Trail at her family’s Rookery Farm on the Hampshire–Berkshire border, estimates that her pumpkin crop is around 50% below average. The 24-year-old told NationalWorld that drought had left many pumpkins small, while

Retailers, caterers and foodservice businesses are being urged to strengthen demand for British produce through their purchasing decisions, menus and promotions as British Food Fortnight marks its 25th anniversary. Running from 26 September to 11 October 2026, the Love British Food campaign is calling for stronger relationships across the domestic supply chain as farmers and food businesses face continued cost pressures and difficult trading conditions. Founder Alexia Robinso

Thanet Earth is set to extend cucumber production throughout the full UK winter for the first time by installing a new LED lighting system designed to maintain crop quality and consistency during the darkest months of the year. Image: Philips The East Kent grower will implement Philips Horticultural LED lighting across around 26 hectares of glasshouse during the fourth quarter of 2026, according to a press release. The investment follows the certainty of a 10-year supply agre

UK lettuce growers are battling exceptionally high levels of currant-lettuce aphid, with the pest threatening commercially significant crop losses during an already challenging growing season. The British Leafy Salads Association (BLSA) says crisphead, romaine, and iceberg varieties are among those experiencing the greatest impact, with green-leaved lettuces appearing to be particularly vulnerable compared with purple varieties. The scale of the losses is already substantial,

A new arrival is bringing fresh bite to Britain’s apple orchards, with Kent grower Mansfields harvesting its first commercial crop of Sassy apples. Originally developed in New Zealand, the variety has now made the move into British production. Mansfields holds the exclusive UK licence and has confirmed that it is growing Sassy commercially in Britain for the first time. Recognisable by its ruby-red appearance, Sassy combines a crisp texture with sweetness and a tangy edge. It

British potato growers could face losses of between £80 million and £169 million after extreme heat and drought hit crop yields across the UK and mainland Europe. New analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), drawing on industry data, suggests that weather-related losses could remove more than 3.5 million tonnes of potatoes from production across Great Britain, Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Around 3.1 million tonnes of that reduction is ex

UK pumpkin growers are warning that this year’s crop could be significantly reduced with smaller-than-usual sizing after prolonged heat and drought stunted growth during the key production stage. The pumpkins are expected to be almost half their normal size in some areas, while growers also report thicker skins that could make the fruit more difficult to carve. High temperatures have been a particular challenge considering pumpkin growth slows when temperatures reach 30°C, ac

Melons have emerged as an unlikely success story from Britain’s record-breaking summer, with a Devon farmer successfully producing cantaloupes outdoors as warmer conditions encourage growers to experiment with crops traditionally associated with southern Europe. Alvaro cantaloupe melons grown at the 300-acre Martinsfield Farm in Broadclyst have flourished during the heatwaves, according to The Telegraph. Unlike some British melon crops cultivated under the protection of polyt

Langmead Herbs has acquired specialist fresh cut herbs business R&G Fresh for an undisclosed sum, bringing together two family-owned businesses with operations spanning growing, importing, and packing. Image: Langmead Herbs Langmead said the move marks a new chapter for the Sussex-based group as it strengthens its supply chain, expands capacity, and enhances its ability to deliver exceptional products to customers. With growing demand for high-quality, sustainably sourced ing

British growers are exploring alternative crops as hotter, drier summers put pressure on familiar produce, with coffee trials and research into gene-edited soya among the developments highlighted by The Telegraph. Its report examines how agriculture could adapt, while warning that growing something successfully does not guarantee a market. GB Potatoes chief executive Scott Walker highlighted retailers' preferences for established varieties as a barrier to introducing more dro

Repeated heatwaves, irrigation restrictions and soaring production costs have left UK carrot growers facing one of their most difficult seasons. British carrot growers are braced for yield losses of between 15 and 30 per cent following an exceptionally hot and dry growing season. The British Carrot Growers Association said early heatwaves in May and June created severe establishment problems, killing newly germinated carrots in some areas and forcing producers to re-drill fie

Fresh produce leaders will urge policymakers to place food production at the heart of future water planning as drought conditions increase pressure on British growers. Representatives from across the UK fresh produce supply chain are preparing to take their campaign for greater water resilience to the House of Lords. Growers, Morrisons and Harper Adams University will present their recommendations to parliamentarians and industry stakeholders at an event on 17 November, hoste

Retailers are being urged to maintain larger pack sizes, support promotions and continue prioritising British strawberries as growers prepare for a substantial rise in late-season volumes. Industry-wide forecasts compiled by British Berry Growers indicate that UK strawberry availability will be significantly higher than during the same period last year, with particularly strong supplies expected over the next fortnight. The forecasts are updated regularly and could change, bu