Tomatoes, cucumbers and spring onions are among several British fruit and vegetable crops that have been labelled as ‘endangered’ due to a significant fall in domestic production over the last ten years.

In a new report, Catalyst for Change, which seeks to highlight areas of horticulture where Britain is becoming less self-sufficient, the NFU has drawn attention to a number of regularly consumed fruits and vegetables which are experiencing dramatic declines in domestic production.

In addition to the ‘endangered’ crops, the report, released today, details several ‘at risk’ foods, including brussels sprouts, lettuce, leeks and cauliflower, which have also seen reductions in production.

Earlier this week, the Economist Intelligence Unit released its food security index, which measures the affordability, accessibility, availability, nutritional value and safety of food in 105 nations around the world. The United States, Denmark and Norway were shown to be the ‘most food secure’ nations, scoring between 88 and 89 on the Food Security Index. However, the UK scored lowest in Western Europe; of the countries rated ‘best,’ the UK was eighth from bottom, with a score of 79.  

In October last year, research by environmental organisation Friends of the Earth showed Europe to be the least self-sufficient global region. The research showed Europe had the world’s largest ‘land footprint’ in terms of reliance on the use of land outside its borders, of all the regions investigated.  

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Over the course of investigations into the grocery supply chain, searching for evidence of bad practice ahead of the introduction of a groceries adjudicator, currently the subject of a bill moving through parliament, the NFU found “poor supply chain practices and a short-term approach to relationships between growers, intermediaries and retailers” to be responsible for reduced self-sufficiency.  The union found the lack of commitment within the groceries supply chain is “stripping millions of pounds out of the fresh produce sector while damaging growers’ ability to produce fruit and vegetables. “

Although the union has previously backed growers, who it claims are often held in thrall to goliath retailers due to their relative economic powerlessness, NFU Deputy President and potato grower Meurig Raymond today said, “This is not about growers versus retailers, but we have to bring an end to damaging activities or risk losing huge swathes of British horticultural production.”

However, the union leader went on to say, “Some retailers are making efforts to invest in the future of British farming, but our report shows that all too often this good work is being undone in pursuit of higher profits. Unless action is taken now we could see less home grown fruit and vegetables on supermarket shelves. This will mean more imported produce, less choice and ultimately higher food prices due to a lack of investment on farm.”

The union has said high costs, low profits, often due to pressures from large retailers, and a lack of long term commitment is damaging the fresh produce sector. Food security experts have suggested that if government and industry are serious about ‘food security’ they will support horticulture above less sustainable sectors in order to produce more nutritious, varied foodstuffs while impacting less on the environment.

In the wake of its report, the NFU has called on retailers, intermediaries and processors to sign up to its ‘Fruit & Veg Pledge’ to show their commitment to best business practice. The union’s Catalyst for Change report can be read in full here.

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