Horticulture, the vital £5 billion industry focussing on fruit,
vegetables and ornamental plants, is at a crossroads. The sector
is under-prioritised and unappreciated by policymakers, leaving
holes in the UK’s food security and ability to meet net zero
goals.
These are among the findings of a new report, ‘Sowing the
seeds: A blooming English horticultural sector’,
published today by the cross-party House of
Lords Horticultural Sector
Committee.
UK growers have been hit hard by rising fertiliser and energy
costs due to the ongoing impact of Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic
and war in Ukraine.
The sector is also struggling to attract new talent and is
perceived as unattractive and inaccessible. This has led to a
reliance on seasonal migrant labour. The Committee heard evidence
of discrimination and exploitation of seasonal workers, including
the non-payment of wages and over-crowded, substandard
accommodation.
Whilst the sector must do more to reduce its emissions, it can
help to mitigate the impacts of climate change through improving
biodiversity, carbon capture and urban greening. However, the
adoption of exciting new technologies to support the transition
to more environmentally-friendly, less labour-intensive growing
methods is dependent on an effective R&D landscape and a
secure skilled labour supply.
The Committee was particularly damning on the role of
supermarkets, whose loss-leader strategies squeeze grower returns
in favour of low prices for consumers, and which prioritise
cheaper imports over UK-grown produce.
The report calls on the Government to take steps to safeguard the
future of the sector and harness its potential to deliver on
critical food security and environmental goals:
- The Government needs to make good on its promise to publish a
Horticulture Strategy for England to set direction for the sector
and give growers confidence.
- It must back horticulture jobs by putting horticulture on the
curriculum, producing a workforce strategy, and publishing its
review of the seasonal worker visa route.
- More support must be given to amateur and professional
growers to help them transition to environmentally friendly
practices such as using peat-free growing media.
- It should urgently conduct and publish its review of fairness
in the supply chain.
- It needs to review the R&D landscape to support
innovation.
, Chair of the Horticultural
Sector Committee, said:
“Horticulture is a multi-billion-pound industry employing over
50,000 people, but it is too frequently overlooked by
policymakers.
“In the face of a cost-of-living crisis, supermarkets are
battling to keep prices down, but this squeezes UK growers out of
the market in favour of cheaper imports. This fundamentally
threatens food security and the domestic market for ornamentals.
“Our report calls on the Government to publish the ‘world
leading’ Horticulture Strategy it promised over a year ago and
get on with its review of fairness in the horticulture supply
chain.
“As part of this, it must secure the skills pipeline by boosting
the place of horticulture on the curriculum, draw up a clear
workforce strategy, and urgently address reports of exploitation
linked to the seasonal worker visa.
“Amateur and professional horticulturists alike must be supported
to transition towards more environmentally friendly practices,
and the R&D landscape must be reviewed to ensure it backs
British growers to innovate.
“With the confidence and support of Government, the horticulture
sector can realise its limitless potential.”
