Farming Profitability Review: UK Horticulture’s time in the sun?

In this post, we take a look at the key take home messages for the fresh produce sector.

Defra’s priorities following the release of the report

Following the report’s release, the government has established a new Farming and Food Partnership Board which will unite farming, industry and government to boost the productivity of British grown produce and strengthen food security². Crucially, Defra confirmed that horticulture is a top priority for the board due to its “significant untapped potential to increase homegrown production[1]”.

Alongside the new board, Defra has outlined four other priorities, all of which have tremendous potential for Fresh Produce growers:

• “Unlocking food and farming infrastructure through planning reform, working with [the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government] MHCLG to make food production a clearer priority in the planning system. Proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework … will help speed up delivery of key infrastructure such as on-farm reservoirs, greenhouses, polytunnels and farm shops, making it easier for farmers to invest and expand ^[2]”.
• “Stepping up action on supply chain fairness, including continued scrutiny of unfair practices and consideration of changes to Groceries Code Adjudicator oversight ^[2] ”.
• “Tackling barriers to private finance, bringing together farmers, agri-food businesses and major financial institutions to attract investment into farm transformation and productivity ^[2] ”.
• “Supporting exports and new markets, with ministers leading dedicated trade missions in 2026 to showcase British food and drink overseas ^[2] ”.

A ‘Horticultural Revolution’ for National Health

The Batters review also makes a powerful case for the 10 Year Health Plan for England, suggesting its primary metric should be the increased sale of fresh, UK-grown whole foods:

At Warwick Crop Centre, we champion ‘Growing British^[3]’ and eating British. Increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables is imperative for the nation’s health and the sustainability of the NHS:

The review calls for a horticulture revolution, highlighting the sector’s hunger for increasing productivity and capitalising on a bigger export market:

As well as increasing export markets, the review speaks to the need to improve local supply chains:

Local supply chains can help reduce food miles and better link consumers to producers. At Warwick Crop Centre, we believe in developing local food systems^[4] and are working with our local councils to build better regional food resilience.

What is the true value of agriculture?

The Batters review challenges the current estimates of agriculture’s value. Instead, it suggests widening the methodology of estimating agriculture’s contributions to GDP by including the value added in primary and secondary processing of farm production:

“Recommendation 1: In line with other countries, ONS should reassess value of GDP for UK agriculture and horticulture production by also measuring value of primary and secondary processing¹”.

In our ‘Growing British³’ paper, we argued that savings on healthcare and improvements in productivity through increasing fruit and vegetable consumption would have significant positive long term economic impacts. Clearly, the value of UK fresh produce is even higher than estimates of GDP, and the value of these third-party beneficiaries needs to be appreciated in the forthcoming Farming Roadmap.

Figure 1 from the Batters report.

A fairer supply chain

The report indicates that actions should be taken to improve the fairness of the supply chain:

Growers of fresh produce have historically suffered from limited bargaining power and, as such, have seen their margins thinned. For example, an independent analysis revealed that UK apple growers received only a 0.8% increase in returns despite the consumer prices rising by 17% between September 2021 and September 2022⁵. The announcement that Defra will consider changes to the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator are welcomed.

Planning, infrastructure and water

The focus on planning reform is one of the most encouraging aspects of the report. Horticulture is inherently water-intensive and the review’s call to unlock the planning system to enable more on-farm reservoirs is a vital step forward. Prioritising protected cropping infrastructure within the planning framework is also essential for food security in the wake of climate volatility.

It is great news that MHCLG has announced a consultation on revisions to theNational Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)and that Defra has made planning a top priority to “speed up delivery of key infrastructure such as on-farm reservoirs, greenhouses, polytunnels and farm shops, making it easier for farmers to invest and expand²”.

Solving the Labour challenge: Extending the seasonal worker scheme and investing in automation

Labour shortages are an ever-present challenge for many horticultural enterprises. The review calls for the Seasonal Worker Scheme to be extended to allow workers the right to work for a full growing season:

Simultaneously, there is a clear recognition of the need for investment in automation to replace manual labour in routine and mundane tasks:

Research and development teams at Warwick Agri-Tech are combining advanced engineering with computing and crop science to deliver solutions that will help shape the future of agriculture⁶.

Closing thoughts

The Farming Profitability Review is a recognition that food growing is a nationally important industry, poised for big investment and growth. The review is more than a list of recommendations, it is a signal that UK agriculture and horticulture should no longer be “under-prioritised and unappreciated⁷”.

British growers and our nation’s good health deserve a ‘Horticulture revolution’. Warwick Crop Centre is ready to provide the evidence-led research and technical expertise needed for a thriving and profitable fresh produce sector.

Authors: Alex Kelly, Rosemary Collier, Richard Napier