A newly released report from the sustainability charity Forum for the Future, in collaboration with industry stakeholders, has shown that more than half of all orchards in England and Wales have been lost, largely as a result of competing land-use priorities.
The report outlines five major challenges facing commercial and community orchards:
- Competing land-use pressures, especially from housing, which have driven significant orchard loss.
- The climate emergency, bringing more extreme weather, pests and disease risks.
- Heavy import dependence: the UK produces only around 40% of its own apples and just 9% of pears and plums.
- The economic squeeze on growers, with rising costs and investment burdens making it harder to sustain production.
- Consumer demand focusing on a narrow set of fruit attributes – taste, size and colour – limiting profitability for growers.
The Forum’s vision sets out how the sector could thrive by:
- Increasing the UK’s self-sufficiency in top fruit and ensuring commercial growers secure supportive contracts.
- Protecting traditional and community orchards as assets for biodiversity, culture and local food supply.
- Strengthening skills, jobs and investment in orchard systems of all scales.
- Promoting UK-grown orchard produce – including fine cider – as part of competitive global markets.
For further information visit The Future of UK Orchard Fruit | Forum for the Future