MPs warn of support gap as growers’ aid scheme nears end
© Tim Scrivener A cross-party group of MPs has urged the government to protect Britain’s food security, warning that the Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme will close on 31 December 2025 without a replacement, threatening a major sector of the UK economy.
MPs have written to Defra secretary Emma Reynolds ahead of the Autumn Budget, calling for immediate clarity on future support for fruit and vegetable growers.
The letter, led by Terry Jermy, Labour MP for South West Norfolk, highlights concern that ending the scheme could undermine domestic production from 2026 in a sector valued at £4.3bn.
See also: Lack of fruit and veg support set to damage food security
With Budget day looming (26 November), MPs are pressing chancellor Rachel Reeves and Defra to introduce a new scheme that guarantees certainty.
They argue that growers in England and Wales will otherwise face a competitive disadvantage compared with their counterparts in the EU, Scotland and Northern Ireland, where equivalent support has already been extended.
The letter states: “Food security is national security. Failure to act now would be a grave mistake.”
It warns that losing support could affect rural employment, increase reliance on imports and add pressure to food prices during continued global instability.
Mr Jermy MP said: “This is about protecting Britain’s ability to feed itself and assist our excellent farmers and growers.
“If the government recognises the importance of food security, we must do everything we can to boost this industry.
“The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme is well-established and it works – we need to support it.”
He added that growers require a “clear, long-term commitment” and that the upcoming Budget represents the government’s “last chance” to demonstrate its position.
Patrick Bastow, chairman of the UK Fruit and Vegetable Association (UKFVA), said the closure had “left a gaping hole in support for our sector” and warned that without urgent replacement funding, “growers face an impossible choice between cutting production or shutting up shop.”
He said horticulture “underpins our food manufacturing base” and called for action to ensure home-grown production does not decline.
The Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme was first introduced in 1997.
The scheme currently provides £40m in matched funding for producer organisations to invest in innovation, productivity and sustainability.