NFU President officially opens Kent fruit show and BAPL boss outlines ambitious plans for British apple production
Tom Bradshaw, president of the National Farmers Union (NFU) officially opened the 91st annual National Fruit Show (NFS) in Kent this morning (6 November).
Addressing fruit growers and produce industry representatives gathered at the Kent County Showground near Marden, Bradshaw used his keynote speech to appeal to retail buyers to “act responsibly” as the sector enters its fourth year of cost inflation.
The NFU President explained that National Insurance and National Living Wage increases announced in the budget have hugely inflated the cost of producing the nation’s fruit and vegetables.
He said UK fruit and vegetable production needs government, retailers and growers alike to drive growth, adding that the foundations for this are policies that give businesses confidence to invest in the future.
”A long-term seasonal worker scheme, a planning policy that works including reviewing why horticultural sites are required to deliver biodiversity net gain, and a market that gives fair returns for the risks incurred are key cornerstones elements of this,” Bradshaw told attendees.
Speaking earlier at the NFS President’s Breakfast, British Apples & Pears executive chair Ali Capper told industry leaders that the topfruit sector was trying to retain a positive outlook after last week’s budget announcements, which have shaken farmer confidence. And she announced that BAPL members have reaffirmed their ambition to double the volume of British apples they produce.
“Despite these recent, serious concerns, we are trying to retain our positive outlook, and that attitude has enabled us to reaffirm our ambition to double the volume of British apples we produce,” she said.
”In 2012/13, just 17 per cent of all apples sold in UK supermarkets were British. By 2022/23 this had peaked at 32 per cent market share. This was a phenomenal achievement by British growers.
“Now, we want to double that again. We want 60 per cent of all apples sold in UK supermarkets to be British by 2035. With cutting-edge storage facilities and fantastic varieties, there is less and less reason to turn to imports.”
Capper referenced a climate change map from the World Bank showing that many apple-growing areas of the world will experience extreme heat and water pressure that will hamper apple growing overseas. She also highlighted WAPA data which revealed that 13 of 20 European apple-growing countries had declining three-year average volumes.
She said: “The UK really is a great place to grow fresh produce – we’re not facing the same climate change pressures as other parts of the world – and that’s why we need to invest now in orchard expansion and increasing domestic food security.”
Commenting on this year’s show, which is organised each year by the Marden Fruit Show Society, Catherine Paice, president of the National Fruit Show and Marden Fruit Show Society, said: “It is a terrific day that would make anyone proud of the industry’s achievements.
”Congratulations to all those who contributed to a spectacular display of fruit, a real showcase for British growers, and to organisers, sponsors and supporters for all their hard work and considerable input. We can look forward to next year with great positivity.”
NFS 2024 was sponsored by Hutchinsons Ltd, N P Seymour and OnePay. It was also supported by British Apples & Pears Limited.
The show’s centrepiece is the largest competitive display of commercially grown topfruit staged in the UK, the organisers said.
