The UK’s fresh produce supply chain could come under renewed pressure this summer after the Port of Dover warned that congestion linked to the EU’s Entry/Exit System (EES) risks major disruption to freight movements through Kent during the peak holiday period. Although most HGV drivers travelling through Dover are exempt from the new biometric border checks, the Port claims they could still become caught in traffic generated by passenger vehicles undergoing EES processing. T

Temporary workers from Central Asia now make up the overwhelming majority of seasonal labour supporting the UK’s fruit sector, according to the latest Seasonal Worker visa figures, following a sharp decline in recruitment from Ukraine. Data for 2025 shows that nationals from Central Asia received 78.5% of all UK Seasonal Worker visas, a significant increase from just 7.6% in 2021. The shift reflects major changes in the makeup of the agricultural workforce over the past four

The UK is facing renewed concerns over water security after the National Drought Group warned that an exceptionally dry spring has significantly increased the risk of drought developing across parts of England this summer. While England only officially emerged from drought three months ago and national reservoir storage currently stands at 88.6%, the Environment Agency (EA) says regional conditions are deteriorating rapidly following one of the driest springs on record. For f

Fruit and vegetable exports from Murcia to the United Kingdom have fallen by 26% in volume since 2021, according to new figures compiled by Spanish producer association Proexport using Eurostat data — a decline that lays bare just how profoundly Britain's fresh produce sourcing has shifted since EU exit. Volumes from the south-eastern Spanish region, long one of the UK's most important suppliers of salads and field vegetables, have dropped from 406,868 tonnes to 301,577 tonne

Food inflation fell to 2.4% in June, down from 2.7% in May, according to the latest BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index — with fresh food leading the decline, easing to 2.8% from 3.4% the month before. Both figures now sit below their three-month averages, and the headline direction of travel will be welcome news for households after a bruising few years at the tills. Kantar's latest grocery market data tells a similar story, with grocery price inflation easing back to 1.7% over the pas

Strawberry growers are being warned that rising temperatures are creating new production risks, as heat stress becomes an increasing challenge for one of the UK’s most important summer fruit crops. According to The Scottish Farmer, hot weather is creating fresh pressure for strawberry producers, with growers facing the impact of rising heat stress levels at a time when climate volatility is already adding uncertainty to production planning. While warm, sunny weather can help

A fresh warning has been sounded over proposals to place higher business rates on warehouses, amid fears that well-intentioned plans to support Britain’s high streets could end up piling further pressure onto the food supply chain. Phil Pluck, Chief Executive of the Cold Chain Federation, used a strongly worded LinkedIn post this week to challenge the idea that warehouses could “shoulder more tax burdens” in order to fund support for pubs, restaurants and high street business

Maersk is preparing to send its first cargo through the Suez Canal and Red Sea since the start of the Iran war, in a move that could mark an important step towards easing pressure on global shipping routes. According to the Financial Times, AP Moller-Maersk, the world’s second-largest container shipping line, has said the Maersk Majestic, currently in the Gulf of Oman, is set to take the Red Sea route rather than sail around Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. The decision follows fr

Anyone who has spent time around fresh produce, flowers or plants knows that visual inspection is not as straightforward as it sounds. On paper, it is simple enough. Check the colour. Look for damage. Assess size, shape, uniformity, decay, presentation and shelf life. Decide whether the product meets the spec. In reality, it is rarely that neat. A punnet of strawberries can look perfectly acceptable from one angle and disappointing from another. A bunch of roses may appear st

Tens of thousands of 11-year-olds are on track to become unemployed when they leave education because of failings in the school system, according to a report highlighted by The Telegraph. The warning, based on analysis by the Centre for Social Justice, raises fresh concerns over the long-term consequences of children leaving primary school without the core skills needed to progress successfully through secondary education and into work. The Telegraph reported that thousands o

British berry growers are warning that the future of UK production could be at risk unless supermarkets move away from relentless price pressure and rebuild proper partnerships with suppliers. The UK berry sector is worth more than £600 million in gross value added and supports more than 16,000 jobs. Yet despite its economic importance, growers say confidence remains fragile and retailer relationships are under increasing strain. The warning follows the latest annual grower s

DP World has secured a double victory at the Multimodal Awards 2026 in Birmingham, with the company named Port Company of the Year for the fourth consecutive year and its subsidiary, Community Network Services (CNS), winning Exhibitor of the Year. The awards recognise a landmark period for DP World’s UK port operations, with the company handling a combined five million TEU at London Gateway and Southampton last year, within a national market totalling nine million TEU. London

The UK has a significant opportunity to expand domestic bean and pulse production, but unlocking that potential will require coordinated action across farming, processing, markets, and policy, according to a new report from The Food Foundation. While the UK already produces around 800,000 tonnes of beans annually, most are exported or used as animal feed. At the same time, the country imports around 500,000 tonnes of beans each year, representing what The Food Foundation est

Rising production costs and increasingly volatile weather have driven more than half of UK farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices as they seek to strengthen the long-term resilience and competitiveness of their businesses, according to new research from Barclays. Some 56% of 223 farmers surveyed in May 2026 said they have already implemented regenerative practices, while a further 24% plan to do so, the bank revealed in a new report titled: Resilience in the Field: T

Favourable growing conditions have kick started a highly positive raspberry season for leading Scottish grower Angus Soft Fruits which plans to expand its AVA production significantly across the UK and worldwide to meet demand. Image: Angus Soft Fruits As the season moves into peak raspberry production, the Scottish company is reporting strong plant growth and solid fruit development as a result of warm temperatures and good light levels. “Quality has been particularly encou

Bumper UK crops and solid retail competition have helped to slow the rise in fresh food prices, with grocery inflation less severe than expected but underlying cost pressures continue to build, warns the boss of Sainsbury’s. Fresh food inflation decreased notably to 2.8% year on year in June, against growth of 3.4% in May, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC). This is below the three-month average of 3.3%. Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts said to date gro

The Chilled Food Association (CFA) has launched what it says is the UK’s first industry-wide E. coli intelligence database for fresh produce and irrigation water to give growers and produce users access to benchmarked microbiological data designed to strengthen food safety assurance and risk management. The database combines more than 100,000 datapoints collected since 2024 from irrigation water used on Red Tractor Category 1 crops, together with pre- and post-wash produce t

Asda has introduced a fun fresh-cut fruit variety to its summer snacking range, anticipating high shopper appeal for its naturally sweet-tasting and striking golden yellow watermelon slices. Image: Asda The retailer expects consumers to “go wild” for its new 300g ready-to-eat pack of 'Exceptional Yellow Watermelon Fans’, and is confident the fruit will become this summer’s must-have snack, reports The Grocer. The naturally-occurring variety reportedly tastes sweeter and mild

Tesco has renewed its partnership with Harper Adams University’s School of Sustainable Food and Farming for a further three years, strengthening its support for the next generation of British farmers and growers. According to Food & Beverage Outlook, the retailer’s Future Farmer Programme has already helped more than 200 young farmers develop business knowledge, practical skills and confidence as they work to build more resilient farming enterprises. The initiative, aimed at

Fresh produce growers across the UK and Europe are increasingly looking at packaging produce directly in the field as they face mounting pressure from labour shortages, rising costs, retailer demands, sustainability targets and unpredictable weather. According to HortiDaily, Vernon Cooper, Director at packaging machinery supplier Redpack, said producers are taking a fresh look at how harvesting and packing operations are structured as margins and operational efficiency come u