Scotland’s strawberry season is off to a positive start, with growers reporting favourable conditions and strong early development despite a slightly later start than last year. Soft fruit specialist Angus Soft Fruit officially began harvesting on 7 April at Barnsmuir Farm in St Andrews, with the crop currently running a few days to around a week behind the unusually early 2025 season. According to the company, this year’s timing is still broadly consistent with a more typica

British Tomato Fortnight is set to return from 1-14 June 2026 with a major push to position British-grown tomatoes as the ultimate healthy snack choice for consumers across the UK. This year’s campaign will focus heavily on the growing demand for convenient and nutritious snacking options, highlighting the flavour, versatility, health benefits and sustainability credentials of British tomatoes. Organisers are also aiming to tap into summer occasions ranging from lunchboxes an

Farm leaders have called on newly elected councillors and members of the Senedd to throw their support behind British agriculture, warning that the sector is facing mounting pressures from rising costs, global instability and ongoing regulatory challenges. The appeals come following local elections across England and the Senedd elections in Wales, with farming organisations urging political leaders at both local and national level to prioritise food security, rural investment

Britain’s potato sector is facing ongoing uncertainty as growers attempt to offload large surplus stocks ahead of the 2026/27 season, following what many are describing as a deeply challenging campaign. According to reports from Farmers Guardian, the 2025/26 potato season is ending under considerable pressure, with many growers still holding excess tonnage while market confidence remains fragile. Planting for the new season was largely completed by the end of April, although

A nationwide campaign designed to encourage children to get their hands dirty and discover the joys of gardening is set to return later this month, with the UK horticulture sector hoping it could help nurture the growers and gardeners of the future. National Children’s Gardening Week will run from 23 to 31 May, bringing families into garden centres across the country for a week of planting, exploration and outdoor activities. Organised by the Horticultural Trades Association,

The UK government is being urged to tackle “soaring domestic policy costs” after new polling shows four in five people (80%) fear the Middle East conflict will push up the cost of food, while bank data indicates agricultural businesses are experiencing “elevated financial stress”. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) is calling on ministers to act on costs that are within government's control, including non-commodity energy charges, food reformulation rules, and packaging levi

Waitrose and Worldwide Fruit Ltd have launched a striking campaign to showcase their commitment to homegrown British produce with the creation of a bespoke JAZZ™ apple tractor and trailer sampling display. Aiming to put British apples in the spotlight like never before and highlight how JAZZ™ has famously extended the British apple season, the tractor debuted at Waitrose’s flagship store in Canary Wharf, London, in April. The eye-catching display and six-day sampling activity

Pink Lady® is launching into the growing flavoured water category through a new collaboration with DASH Water, as premium produce brands continue to explore adjacent categories for growth beyond the fresh produce aisle. Image: Pink Lady® The partnership sees the launch of DASH Pink Lady® Apple, a sparkling water inspired by the crisp taste of one of the UK’s most recognisable branded apple varieties, marking the brand’s strategic move into the popular flavoured water segment

A new multi-year agreement between GB Railfreight and Maritime Transport is set to reinforce the resilience and sustainability of the UK’s freight network, with both companies confirming an extension of their long-standing partnership. The deal will see freight moved by rail from key deep-sea ports—including London Gateway, Felixstowe and Tilbury—to Maritime’s inland terminal network, supporting the continued shift of goods from road to rail across the country. The agreement

Ministers are reviewing a £2bn environmental packaging levy amid concerns it could add further pressure to household grocery bills. The government is said to be looking again at the extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme, which makes food producers and online retailers pay charges linked to the packaging used in the products they sell. The review forms part of wider discussions in government over how to limit the economic impact of the war in Iran on UK consumers, as r

Aldi has announced a significant change to its fruit range, confirming that all blackberries sold in its UK stores will now be 100% British-grown as part of a nationwide rollout this month. The move marks a shift away from imported supply, with the retailer previously sourcing blackberries from countries including Spain, Mexico and South Africa. Instead, Aldi is partnering with supplier Driscoll’s to deliver exclusively homegrown fruit, with availability beginning in early Ma

Plans to revive Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) have gathered fresh momentum, with a major international freight operator now in advanced discussions that could transform the site into a significant UK logistics hub. Doncaster Council’s arms-length company, Fly Doncaster Ltd (FDL), has revealed that the unnamed operator is considering a move that would see up to 20 cargo flights a week operating from the airport. If confirmed, the deal could deliver as much as 80,000 tonnes

Farming co-operatives could play a pivotal role in strengthening the UK’s food security and driving agricultural growth, particularly as global instability continues to test supply chains, according to a new report. The policy paper, produced by the Co-operative Party, argues that a shift towards collaborative farming models could significantly improve resilience at a time of mounting geopolitical and economic pressure. At its core, the report, seen exclusively by The Guardia

Europe and Africa could soon be physically connected by a pair of ambitious subsea tunnel projects, as governments and engineers explore new ways to strengthen trade resilience amid growing disruption across global shipping routes. At the heart of the plans are two separate schemes with dramatically different scales but a shared strategic goal: reducing reliance on vulnerable maritime chokepoints and creating faster, more direct links between the continents. The first, a prop

Farmers with innovative ideas but limited time or support are being given a fresh opportunity to bring those concepts to life, as new funding looks to bridge the gap between ambition and delivery. The latest initiative, part of Defra’s wider Farming Innovation Programme, is designed to help farmers move from early-stage thinking into practical, on-farm application. Delivered by Innovate UK, the scheme focuses on supporting real-world trials that test new practices and technol

Amazon is preparing a renewed push into the UK grocery sector, signalling a significant strategic reset as it looks to finally crack one of retail’s most complex and competitive markets. The move comes despite years of limited traction in Britain, where the tech giant has struggled to translate its e-commerce dominance into meaningful grocery market share — still estimated at below 1% after more than a decade in the category. A Strategic Reset After Store Retreat According to