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Middle East Conflict Set To Push Up UK Food Prices, NFU Warns
The National Farmers' Union has warned that food prices in the UK are likely to go up as a result of the conflict in the Middle East. NFU president Tom Bradshaw told the BBC that the price of cucumbers and tomatoes could rise over the next six weeks, with the cost of other crops and milk increasing in the next three to six months. Iran's continued blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has led to higher costs for fuel and fertiliser, both crucial elements of food production. The is
Shock Collapse Of Scottish Supplier Leaves 71 Jobs Gone And £5m Hole
A Scottish wholesale food supplier has collapsed into liquidation, resulting in the loss of 71 jobs and exposing debts of more than £5 million. Enterprise Foods Limited, which traded as Localist, has ceased trading after efforts to refinance and restructure the business proved unsuccessful. The company, based in East Kilbride, had operated for more than three decades, supplying thousands of products to retailers across Scotland and beyond. Liquidators were appointed following
Award-Winning Robots Set To Revolutionise UK Harvesting
The University of Essex has secured national recognition for its pioneering agricultural robotics, with its Sustainable smArt Robotic Agriculture initiative winning Best Research Project (Industry Collaboration) at the AI & Robotics Research Awards 2026. The accolade marks a significant milestone for the university’s robotics team , whose prototype harvesting system—first unveiled in October 2024—has been described as a potential “game changer” for labour-intensive fresh prod
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Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Sarah-Jayne Gratton
Berry And Topfruit Growers Sound Alarm Over Input-Cost Shock
Escalating costs due to the Middle East conflict are starting to ripple through the UK’s fresh produce supply chain, with British berry and topfruit growers warning of increasing financial pressure in the run up to the key summer season. The British Berry Growers Association (BBGA) said instability around the Strait of Hormuz – a key global trade corridor – is pushing up input costs such as fuel and fertiliser. The warning is echoed by British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) w
BerryWorld Identifies Health And Wellness Marketing Opportunities
BerryWorld has unveiled a campaign to position berries as a natural, nutrient-dense, and convenient health solution, backed by a new report into the consumer habits and health concerns shaping shopper behaviour in 2026. Image: BerryWorld Titled ‘Big 6 for 2026’, the research identifies health marketing opportunities for berry businesses by exploring this year’s most important consumer health priorities. The insight then aligns these trends – immunity, hydration, gut health,
New Vining Pea Trials To Deliver Modern, Resilient Production Guidance
Fen Peas has come together with the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) and Dyson Farming Research to launch a farmer-led research project to test and update plant population recommendations for vining peas destined for the frozen food market. Image: PGRO Supported by Defra’s ADOPT fund, the initiative will work directly with growers to reevaluate optimum plant populations for vining peas under real-world farm conditions. The aim is to bring outdated crop man
Consumers Eat Less Fresh Produce As Food Prices Bite
UK households are reducing their fruit and vegetable purchases as food prices rise and food insecurity creeps up once again due to the Iran war, further exposing the country's food system vulnerability to global conflicts. Over the last 30 days, more than half (53%) of food insecure households in the UK reduced their fruit purchases, while 40% cut back on vegetables, according a new food insecurity survey from The Food Foundation. Even for those not food insecure, in the la
Defra Unveils Multifunctional Land Use Vision But Questions Remain
The government has published its first Land Use Framework setting out how England’s limited land should be used more efficiently to balance food production, housing, nature and climate goals, using a national spatial map and new modelling tools. Over the coming decades Defra’s new plan is designed to safeguard food production while bolstering resilience to climate change and global shocks but industry bodies say questions remain for the future of food and farming. The long-aw
Syngenta To Develop £100m AI-Powered Crop Research Centre In UK
Syngenta has announced a major new investment in agricultural bioscience, unveiling plans for a £100 million research centre at its Berkshire base in the UK that will focus on next-generation, sustainable solutions for farming. Image: Syngenta The Biological Sciences Technology and Research centre (BioSTaR) will be built at Syngenta’s existing Jealott’s Hill R&D site, already the UK’s largest facility dedicated to agricultural technology research. Syngenta said in a press re
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