The UK horticulture sector stands at a critical crossroads and the need for a coordinated, future-focused strategy has never been clearer.

The UK Food Valley met with John Walgate, CEO of the British Growers Association (BGA), to explore the role the organisation plays, the challenges facing growers, and the opportunities ahead.

Originally from Yorkshire, John trained as an accountant after studying economics, which he believes brings valuable perspective.

“A lot of what we do is financial. Of a team of 20, around 8 have a finance background, and having worked closely with retailers in my previous roles, I’ve seen firsthand the pressures across supply chains.”

The British Growers Association acts as an umbrella organisation supporting around 45 member groups, primarily crop associations representing everything from onions and carrots to asparagus and ornamentals.

“You can think of us as sitting across the crop associations. Most are volunteer-led, so we provide the back-office support such as finance, company secretarial, meetings and communications, which essentially helps them function.”

In total, those associations represent over 1,000 growers, meaning the BGA sits at the heart of UK horticulture.

This central position also gives the organisation an important representational role. “Because we cover such a wide range of crops, we’re a natural focal point for government, media, and other stakeholders.”

Despite agreement that the UK should eat more fruit and vegetables, domestic production has been declining. “We only grow around half the vegetables we consume and for fruit, it’s closer to 20%. That shows the scale of the opportunity, but also the challenge.”

This context is driving a new Government-led horticulture sector growth plan, in which the BGA is closely involved. The growth plan, led by DEFRA, aims to set a strategic direction, informed directly by industry input.

“This is genuinely sector-led. We’re gathering evidence from all our crop associations, understanding both barriers and opportunities, so the plan reflects real-world challenges.”

Key themes emerging include:

Labour and Skills

Access to labour remains a major concern. Heavy reliance on the Seasonal Worker Scheme, lack of long-term certainty around visa numbers, and increasing difficulty recruiting skilled workers

“If you’re not sure you’ll have labour next year, you’re unlikely to invest in growth,” explains John.

Water Availability

This is particularly critical in Eastern England. Reduced abstraction licences, increasing demand vs declining supply, and planning barriers to new reservoirs are all significant challenges.

“We’re being asked to grow more at a time when water availability is tightening.”

Energy Costs

A growing issue, especially for controlled environments, including significant increases in electricity capacity charges, and high energy demand for greenhouses and cold storage.

“We’ve seen some growers facing 60% increases in capacity charges alone.”

Planning and Infrastructure

Challenges around permission for essential infrastructure includs on-farm reservoirs, polytunnels and glasshouses, and regional inconsistencies in planning decisions.

“It can be a postcode lottery depending on where you are.”

Investment and Competitiveness

The removal of previous support schemes has created a gap. The end of the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme in England, whilst support schemes in EU countries continues, and higher costs in the UK compared to competitors, are areas which need to be addressed.

“In countries like the Netherlands, growers benefit from lower energy costs and government support. That’s hard to compete with.”

Audit Burden

An often-overlooked issue. However multiple compliance schemes, increasing administrative demands, and higher costs compared to overseas competitors are an added concern.

“Growers are being plagued by audits, and imports simply don’t face the same requirements.”

Despite these challenges, opportunities are significant. Crops like tomatoes, where the UK produces only around 20% of what it consumes, offer clear potential for growth. There is also the opportunity for a positive impact on health and diet. Increasing fruit and veg consumption would improve public health; reduce pressure on the NHS and drive demand for domestic produce.

However, it must be noted that whilst glasshouse production represents a major opportunity with significant investments in new tech already taking place across Lincolnshire, it needs much more. “Around 80% of UK glasshouse capacity is over 40 years old. There’s huge potential if the right incentives are in place.”

One of the strongest themes throughout the conversation is the need to better value food and domestic production. “We often hear that food security equals national security, but we’re not yet seeing that reflected in policy or investment.”

A more joined-up approach is needed across government, from health and environment to energy and migration policy. “Other countries are ahead of us. Denmark, for example, is taking a full ‘farm to plate’ approach, supporting growers, educating consumers, and even training chefs. We need to employ that approach at scale here.”

Whist the challenges are significant, there is optimism that the current focus on a sector growth plan could represent a turning point.

“It’s encouraging that government is asking the sector what it needs. Now we need to turn that into action,” enthuses John.

For horticulture, the path forward isn’t about a single solution, it’s about coordinated change across multiple areas, from labour and infrastructure to investment and consumer behaviour.

“We need to turn the tide, and this is a chance to do it.”

John was interviewed by Jess Foster at the UK Food Valley, managed and funded by Lincolnshire County Council.