£1.9bn Opportunity To Expand Homegrown Fruits And Vegetables

Raising domestic horticulture production to replace half of the fruits and vegetables imported by the UK could return national food self-sufficiency to levels last seen in 2000, and generate £1.9 billion for British producers, according to new analysis from Green Alliance.

The report estimates that a major expansion of homegrown fresh produce could boost the UK to 66% self-sufficiency in fruits and vegetables, and only require an additional 46,509 hectares of horticultural production or 0.3% of UK farmland.

Green Alliance is calling on the government to use its forthcoming Horticulture Sector Growth Plan to support increased domestic production and improve access to affordable fruit and vegetables.

Domestic fruit and vegetable production has fallen by 16% since 2015, the report states, while the UK now relies on imports for 44% of its vegetables and 86% of its fruit.

At the same time, the amount of fruit and vegetables in the average diet would need to increase by 86% to meet dietary guidelines for good health.

Green Alliance says reliance on overseas supply leaves the UK food system exposed to extreme weather and other disruptions, with climate extremes contributing to empty supermarket shelves for staple fresh produce and pushing up food prices. 

The organisation claims the government’s horticulture sector growth plan as a “major opportunity” to build a more resilient food system and improve public health. 

“It has the potential to boost domestic production of fruits, vegetables and pulses, safeguarding the country’s healthy food supply from disruptions overseas,” the association said.

Indoor Production

Indoor production is identified as a vital part of the expansion plan, according to the analysis.

Of the additional farmgate value generated in Green Alliance’s scenario, 68% would come from new indoor production. 

The organisation says indoor systems can provide year-round fresh produce supplies, while reducing exposure to volatile supply chains and weather conditions.

Glasshouses can produce between 10 and 20 times more food per area of land than traditional open-field farming, while using up to 90% less water.

Green Alliance said this represents a “substantial opportunity” to shift imports from climate vulnerable regions, and indoor production abroad, to the UK.

However, profitable indoor production will depend on access to reliable, renewable and affordable energy. 

Alongside indoor production, the report claims a comprehensive sector growth plan would encourage reliable and resilient domestic production of open field grown vegetables and pulses, which could be worth over £500 million to British growers.

Horticulture Zones

Green Alliance also recommends a national spatial strategy for horticulture, including designated ‘horticulture zones’ where growers could access renewable energy.

The zones could encourage co-location with industries generating waste heat and CO2, such as factories, wastewater treatment facilities, and data centres.

The organisation says this would provide greater certainty for investment and could accelerate planning applications through pre-vetting for glasshouses and polytunnels.

The report says expansion should not take place on lowland peat soils. 

Around 22% of vegetables are cultivated on lowland peat, while degraded peatlands account for 3.5% of the UK’s annual greenhouse gas emissions.

It recommends relocation, wetter farming techniques, and high-yielding glasshouse production, alongside a clear expectation that all horticultural growing media will be peat-free by 2030.

Supply Chain Investment

The growth plan should also address the “missing middle” between UK growers and consumers, Green Alliance says.

It recommends government-backed loans for infrastructure including cold storage, processing, and on-farm facilities.

Lack of manufacturing capacity is identified as a constraint on UK-grown pulses, while cold storage will be important to increasing vegetable self-sufficiency.

The report highlights equipment for bean de-hulling and conditioning, with shared facilities within farmer clusters offering a way to minimise costs. 

The sector growth plan should help producers with high production costs by improving access to affordable clean power. 

For existing producers and new entrants, Green Alliance says reducing dependence on fossil fuels with reliable, clean energy will reduce volatility and increase resilience.

Healthy Food Access

Green Alliance also identifies horticultural expansion as a way to improve access to healthy food.

Only one in three adults in England currently eat the recommended five or more portions of fruit and vegetables a day, while diet-related ill health costs the UK £126 billion annually.

In January 2026, 53% of households classed as ‘food insecure’ reduced their fruit purchases and 40% bought fewer vegetables.

The report recommends working with wholesalers and convenience stores to improve the availability of healthy products in areas most affected by diet-related ill health.

Green Alliance is also calling for a Good Food Bill establishing statutory targets for domestic production and consumption of fruit and vegetables.

Read the full report here.