The government’s forthcoming horticulture Sector Growth Plan is a major opportunity to build a more resilient food system and improve public health. It has the potential to boost domestic production of fruits, vegetables and pulses, safeguarding the country’s healthy food supply from disruptions overseas.

In new analysis we find that expanding domestic horticulture to replace half of fruit and vegetables imports with homegrown produce would raise overall food self sufficiency to a level last seen in 2000 and generate £1.9 billion for British farms. This would require only 0.3% of the UK’s farmed land.

In this briefing, we outline the priorities for the plan to scale horticulture production whilst ensuring that healthy, nutritious diets are accessible for more people.