Small-scale growers in the UK must access niche market opportunities or continue to consolidate if they are to survive, a new report has shown.

The study was prepared for the National Horticultural Forum (NHF) by Promar International and focused on brassica, soft-fruit, protected crops and hardy nursery stock production.

“The report asserts that the future of UK horticulture will be based on a smaller group of players, but one which is more professionally run, better educated, more internationally aware, more attuned to market needs, more environment-aware and more grounded in value-added activity,” said Andrew Colquhoun, chairman of the NHF steering group. “Businesses must take action now as the challenges the sector faces are not going to go away.”

The report’s recommendations include ongoing consolidation in the grower base, avoiding cutting R&D further, improved opportunities for education and training and better understanding of market dynamics.

The NHF is inviting written comments to validate its conclusions and to help it to do draw up a list R&D priorities. The full report is available at www.rhs.org.uk/news/news.asp

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