UK overly reliant on food imports from climate vulnerable nations
A new report has found that the UK is importing 80% of its fruit and 47% of vegetables, at a time when the global climate and nature crisis is worsening, putting food security and the nation’s health at risk.
The research, produced by The Food Foundation, claims that lack of investment in the horticulture sector has left the UK reliant on fruit and veg imported from countries far more vulnerable to climate change. Anna Taylor, Executive Director of The Food Foundation, said: "Whilst the UK has been experiencing successive heatwaves and drought across much of the country, it is important to acknowledge that most of the countries we import our staple, healthy foods from are in an even more vulnerable position as we see the impacts of climate change ramp up across the globe.”[i]
"There is a risk this will drive up prices in the future, putting nutritious foods further out of reach for many, so it is important the government takes action now to prevent this from happening. The government must invest to increase consumption of fruit and veg, to ensure we are growing more of these foods domestically, and to support farmers so they are able to adapt to changing weather patterns in the UK." Taylor added[ii].
Taylor points to IPCC forecasts showing that, without action to improve resilience, higher temperatures will lead to yield losses, heat stress and quality declines in fruits, vegetables and other crops. Declines in fruit and veg yields and crop suitability are especially projected in tropical and semi-tropical regions, with the Mediterranean, North Africa, South and Central America key global regions with high vulnerability.
Of the top 20 countries the UK imports fruit and vegetables from most, almost all (90%) are moderately to severely vulnerable to climate change. In fact, the UK has one of the lowest food self-sufficiency ratios among large Western European countries and a significantly higher import dependence than France, Germany or Spain.
This leaves the UK particularly vulnerable to both food price shocks and supply disruptions. Data already shows that fewer than one in three adults and less than one in ten 11-18 year-olds currently eat their 5-a-day, meaning shortages of nutritious fruit and vegetables could have serious consequences for the nation’s health.
Green Alliance has also raised concerns that the UK's production and consumption of healthy foods is moving in the wrong direction. In a recent briefing, the organisation argued that fruit and vegetable consumption would need to increase by 86% to meet dietary guidelines. Yet, domestic fruit and vegetable production has fallen 16% in the last decade, with production costs exacerbated by spikes in fossil fuel energy and fertiliser prices, reducing profitability across the horticulture sector, they argue[iii].
“Expanding domestic horticulture to replace half of fruit and vegetables imports with homegrown produce would raise overall food self-sufficiency to a level last seen in 2000 and generate £1.9 billion for British farms. This would require only 0.3% of the UK’s farmed land.” – Green Alliance[iv]
Horticulture Growth Plan: Opportunity for a future fit food system
The Food Foundation have pointed out that the upcoming Horticulture Sector Growth Plan is an important opportunity to build a food system that’s fit for the future: “Ensuring affordable, healthy food for all, fair prices for British farmers, and a plan to help the UK adapt to changing weather patterns at home and abroad.”[v]
Others in the industry have also welcomed the initiative with National Farmers Union (NFU) Horticulture and Potatoes Board Chair Martin Emmett commenting:
“This is a significant moment for the horticulture sector. It is encouraging to see Defra (the UK government’s Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) listening to industry concerns and creating an opportunity, through the FFPB, to shape the policy changes needed to support future growth. UK growers continue to face an uneven playing field when competing with European counterparts. The horticulture sector growth plan provides an important opportunity to address the key barriers holding the sector back, from planning constraints to workforce uncertainty.”[vi]
The UK Government committed to producing a series of sector growth plans via the new Farming and Food Partnership Board (FFPB) in June this year. The ‘Horticulture sector growth plan’, will be the first of these, and is set to be developed through a new joint governance model between government and industry to strengthen collaboration, champion domestic production, and improve the long-term resilience of the United Kingdom’s food system. The plan is expected to be released next year.
To tackle the issues facing the UK, Green Alliance has produced a blueprint with five priority recommendations to be included within the Plan. These are:
1. Support homegrown production – Develop a national spatial strategy for horticulture to unlock large scale investment in highly productive, sustainable glasshouses and balance horticultural production with competing demands on the UK’s land.
2. Lower and stabilise energy costs for producers by improving access to affordable clean power and supporting the sector to transition away from gas.
3. De risk investments in supply chain infrastructure that help producers receive fair prices and access new routes to market, through government backed loans.
4. Support initiatives to increase access to healthy, nutritious food in low-income communities, to make it easier for people to access fruit, vegetables and pulses.
5. Introduce mandatory targets and public reporting for UK retailers, beginning with targets to reduce sales of high fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) foods that compete with healthier food choices.
As Green Alliance note, UK horticulture is diverse, spanning in-field production, orchards, glasshouses and vertical farms, and when combined these systems contribute over £5 billion to the economy, yet use less than 1% of agricultural land. Establishing a larger, more resilient horticultural production base is a major opportunity to drive economic growth and build much-needed resilience in the UK food system.
References
[ii] Ibid
[iii] How-the-horticulture-sector-growth-plan-can-support-health-security-and-the-economy.pdf
[vi] Horticulture sector growth plan – how the NFU is engaging with Defra – NFUonline
