Food security, changing weather patterns and labour availability were key topics at Fruit Focus 2025, with an emphasis on how innovation could help tackle these challenges.

More than 1,500 visitors from the fresh fruit and wine-making sectors gathered for Fruit Focus 2025 on 9 July at the East Malling Research Station, where Niab delivers its programme of horticultural innovation with the support of the East Malling Trust. The annual event once again served as a key meeting point for growers, researchers, and suppliers to explore the latest innovations, insights, and strategies shaping the future of UK horticulture.

Food security has never been more important, particularly in the face of climate change and other challenges, said Martin Emmett, Chair of the NFU Horticulture Board. "I want to highlight the opportunity brought to us by the Government's food strategy; we would hope this is our big opportunity to get the level of Government support we know our sector needs," he said. "But it's not a simple shoe-in – we have to fight our corner.

"This current heatwave is yet another opportunity to assert the value of what we do, if we start to see temperatures up to 30°C again, people will start to realise what impact that has on our entire food infrastructure," explained Mr Emmett. "But, how much worse is it going to be in Europe? How much does that highlight the need for food security based on UK food production?"

EU trade remains a critical but underutilised opportunity for growers. "We've got a massive opportunity to export fresh berries to Europe," said Nick Marston, Chair of British Berry Growers. "That opportunity is being stopped dead by border friction. Everything requires a phytosanitary certificate. In England, it takes four to five days to get one, that's longer than the shelf life and order cycle," he explained. "In the EU and Scotland, you can get a phytosanitary certificate in less than 24 hours - this is purely resource. We just don't have enough inspectors, or a system that works properly."

Water management

With rising temperatures and increasing pressure on water resources, sustainable irrigation is a top priority for growers, and Agri Management Solutions (AMS) is responding with practical solutions. Its Nettuno Diesel Pump Model 3, is designed to help farmers manage water usage more efficiently and is already proving popular amid UK heatwaves.

"This pump is remote controlled via your phone, pumps 108m3 per hour at 16.6 bar, and suits both small and large farms.," explained Archie Hawkins, Irrigation Manager at AMS.

Automation

As labour shortages continue to challenge the fresh produce sector, automation becomes increasingly vital. Dogtooth Technologies demonstrated its latest innovation for the first time at Fruit Focus - the Dogtooth Gen 5. Designed and built entirely in the UK, the advanced robotic strawberry picker is engineered to analyse crops and predict yields with precision, helping growers optimise production and reduce waste.

"It ensures each punnet weighs similarly and fills (a tray load of punnets) at the same time, providing consistency and quality," said the firm's Daniel Stockhill. "What's more, one human can oversee 12 robots, massively improving labour efficiency and addressing workforce challenges."

And the one thing the UK isn't short of is research. Aurélie Bovi, Innovation Sector Lead at UK Agritech Centre highlighted projects improving strawberry quality and crop protection. One demonstrated how monitoring and guiding bee activity boosts pollination and nutrition in strawberries. Another, using Polybee drones, creates pollen troughs to enhance fruit quality. Finally, a Newcastle University project developed spore detection technology to identify pathogens early in soft fruit and vineyards.

Many crops have to be grown in substrate, but it is unsustainable due to its material, packaging, shipping, and disease risks. "We asked the question, can we grow plants and develop healthy root systems without substrate? And the answer is yes," Marcus Comahsi, Founder of GyroPlant explained.

With 125 projects worldwide, including strawberries in the US and Japan, GyroPlant has developed reusable plug systems that replace traditional substrate. "We create custom solutions for growers aiming to develop resilient farms and reduce carbon emissions and waste from the substrate sector," said Mr Comahsi.

And this is something which fruit business Dole is trialling. "We use strawberries in our trial site in Kent, working to bridge the gap between innovation and growers," said Sarah Titmuss, Innovation Co-ordinator at Dole. The trials focus on producing seedlings that have never touched soil, which reduces disease risks and improves crop health. After six months of testing kale, lettuce, and now strawberry seedlings, results are promising for a cleaner, more sustainable growing system.

Visitors also joined the Niab-led research tours across the site, with the Strawberry Vertical Farming Research facility proving particularly popular, attracting over 100 attendees keen to explore its potential.

 "I was delighted so see so many key players from the fresh produce industry at East Malling for Fruit Focus," said Niab CEO Mario Caccamo. "This is a sector that is thirsty for innovation and can set up global standards for environmentally-aware horticulture and high-quality produce.

"The challenges are significant and it is clear that we will need the support from progressive government policies for the sector to be successful. I was, however, very encouraged by the quality and diversity of the solutions on display at this year's event. The future is bright." 

 Event Director, Alli McEntyre, agreed: "From buzzing exhibitor stands to packed talks on technology, sustainability, and the future, the energy and appetite for progress was clear. Fruit Focus continues to be the place where the fruit industry connects, collaborates, and looks ahead. With so much innovation and drive, it's clear there's a bright future ahead."

• For more information visit www.fruitfocus.co.uk