Lincolnshire is at the heart of the UK’s fresh produce industry and home to the nation’s leading cluster for production, trading, and logistics. Yet despite this strength, the UK still relies heavily on imports to feed the country. Government and industry together have an ambition to change this. Within the UK Food Valley, we already produce around 30% of the UK’s vegetables and nearly 20% of ornamental crops and are driving and commercialising cutting-edge innovation.

This #FreshProduce edition brings together a range of national and local experts who consistently validate a sector that is innovation-rich, demand-led, and strategically critical, but constrained by policy fragmentation, cost pressures, and infrastructure gaps.

Our contributors offer a compelling portfolio of industry opinion to help shape the emerging national horticulture strategy.

The opportunity is clear. The expertise is already here.  But a system-wide policy approach is needed to enable rapid scale up.

The UK Food Valley is ready to lead the growth of a stronger, more resilient UK horticulture sector.

A Growing Market - and a Bigger Opportunity

Demand for fresh produce is rising fast. Over the past decade UK horticultural output has grown 58% to £4.8 billion, but imports have also surged 52% to £9.2 billion.

This means that out of a £14 billion market, only just over a third is supplied domestically. In some areas, reliance on imports is even higher.  Only 10% of cut flowers are UK-grown and just 15% of fruit is produced domestically.

This imbalance presents a clear opportunity: the UK could grow much more of its own fresh produce with the right investment.

Why It Matters Now

Global supply chains are becoming less reliable. Analysis shows that production across the EU and US is declining, while key suppliers such as Spain - which provides around a third of the UK’s fresh imports - are increasingly hit by extreme weather.

Recent flooding in early 2026 disrupted exports again, echoing earlier shortages that left UK supermarket shelves empty. These shocks highlight a simple truth: the UK needs a more resilient, homegrown supply of fresh produce.

Better for the Environment

Growing more produce in the UK isn’t just about security - it’s also more sustainable. UK farms are highly efficient at converting water into crops, and shorter supply chains mean fresher food and lower carbon emissions.

Why the UK Food Valley Leads the Way

Greater Lincolnshire is uniquely placed to drive this growth. The region combines rich, fertile soils, expanding greenhouse production, and a world-class horticultural supply chain

It is also a hub for innovation, with expertise spanning; The University of Lincoln’s Riseholme Campus; Dyson Farm Research; Elsoms Seeds; Barclays Eagle Labs; and B-Hive Innovations to name but a few.

Together, these organisations — alongside many local businesses — are pushing the boundaries of productivity, sustainability and crop science.

Backed by National Policy

Government is recognising the importance of horticulture with the Batters Review on Farm Profitability (2025) and the Land Use Framework (2026) - highlighting the need to grow the sector and both paving the way for an emerging national horticulture strategy.

The UK Food Valley is already working closely with industry and government to ensure the region plays a central role in shaping this vision and this edition is positioned to further make that case.

Looking Ahead

As the UK’s fresh produce capital, Greater Lincolnshire has the capacity to do more — producing, importing, processing and distributing even greater volumes of food.

With the right investment in areas such as glasshouses and controlled-environment agriculture, the region can replace imports with homegrown produce, strengthen national food security, and create jobs and drive economic growth.

The opportunity is clear. The expertise is already here.

The UK Food Valley is ready to lead the growth of a stronger, more resilient UK horticulture sector.

Read on for exclusive insights from leading experts in this sector.