UK Growers Warn Pesticide Alignment Could Hit Soft Fruit Production
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
UK fruit growers have warned that proposals to align British pesticide rules with those of the European Union could significantly reduce soft fruit production if introduced without a carefully managed transition period.
The concerns were raised by strawberry grower Stephen Tasker, who supplies BerryWorld and has farmed in Nottinghamshire since 2003. Speaking at an industry discussion organised by CropLife UK, Tasker said modelling around the potential withdrawal of crop protection products suggests his own business could face a reduction of around 9% in sellable fruit, equating to losses of roughly £1.2 million.
The warning follows analysis by The Andersons Centre which suggests that immediate regulatory alignment with EU agri-pesticide rules under a future UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement could reduce UK agricultural Gross Value Added by up to 6%. The report also estimated that the wider sector could face costs exceeding £810 million.
Growers and policymakers discussed the potential implications during a CropLife UK event attended by parliamentarians and industry stakeholders. Tasker was joined on a panel by Ali Capper, Chair of British Apples & Pears, Dave Bell, a Scottish mixed farmer, and James Mills, Vice Chair of the NFU Combinable Crops Board.
The debate comes as the UK and EU continue negotiations on a new SPS agreement following the “Common Understanding” reached in May 2025, which aims to reset elements of the post-Brexit trading relationship.
Bell cautioned that the proposed timeline for alignment, expected around 2027, could create challenges if implemented too quickly. He warned that farmers risk losing key crop protection tools needed to maintain yields and remain competitive.
“On already tight margins, that kind of cliff-edge change makes it far harder for us to keep producing the high-quality, affordable food people expect from British farming,” he said.
Fruit growers say the issue comes at a time when production is already under pressure from climate volatility and unpredictable weather patterns. Capper noted that while regulatory alignment could offer benefits for trade, the industry requires clarity on the timing and detail of any changes.
She said growers must be able to plan ahead to ensure that rule changes do not disrupt crop production or undermine the ability of UK producers to compete with European growers.
A government spokesperson said negotiations on the SPS agreement are continuing and that discussions with businesses are ongoing regarding how any future implementation period would operate.
For the UK’s soft fruit sector — a category that has expanded significantly in recent years thanks to protected cropping and improved varieties — growers warn that access to effective crop protection tools will remain critical to maintaining yields, quality and competitiveness.
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