Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK horticultural industry.

The Government recognises the crucial role that the UK’s horticulture industry plays in both feeding the country and promoting people’s wellbeing. It is clear that the coronavirus pandemic is having an impact on horticulture businesses up and down the country and the Government is acutely aware of the challenges facing parts of the industry at this time.

We know it is vital that the sector has access to the labour it needs, and we are aware of concerns about the impact that current restrictions on the movement of people could have on the number of seasonal workers coming to the UK. We are therefore urgently considering what measures could be put in place to help mitigate labour shortages.

We will continue to work closely with representatives from across the horticulture supply chain to identify what short-term and long-term support the sector needs. As horticulture is part of the agricultural sector, impacts of COVID-19 on the horticulture industry are being overseen by the UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group, which meets weekly to monitor UK agricultural markets and to provide forewarning of any atypical market movements. During the coronavirus outbreak, this has allowed Defra and the devolved administrations to share the latest stakeholder information and data to assess the effects of COVID-19 on the agricultural industry, to ensure we have an evidence base of what is happening in specific markets and geographical regions.

We will continue to monitor the situation and to work closely with the sector to assess and respond to emerging issues as they arise.