Farming minister Angela Eagle has said the Fruit & Veg Aid Scheme will ‘permanently close’ at the end of this year but future support is being considered
The EU Fruit and Veg Aid Scheme, which included funding to Producer Organisation (POs), will permanently close at the end of 2025, the farming minister has confirmed.
Angela Eagle responded in writing to a question raised by the MP for West Worcestershire, Harriett Baldwin, asking if she plans to extend the scheme.
The question follows months of uncertainty for British growers who market produce through POs, with fears the loss of funding will end vital investment into sustainability and innovation, and threaten the viability of smaller produce businesses.
In response, Eagle said: “Legislation introduced in July 2023 permanently closes the legacy EU Fruit and Vegetable Aid Scheme in England at the end of December 2025.
“The scheme was designed to help fresh fruit and vegetable growers increase their power in the supply chain, but it was only available to Producer Organisations, with around just over 20 per cent of the sector accessing it and the vast majority not benefitting.”
A spokesperson for the UK Fruit and Veg Association (UKFVA) said: “It is disappointing to see the minister continue to cite a figure of 20 per cent, when in reality around 43 per cent of eligible crops have benefited from the scheme, and in some sectors, participation is significantly higher.
”The scheme has been integral to driving productivity, investment, and collaboration among British growers, directly supporting the government’s ambition for high-quality, home-grown food. We welcome the minister’s acknowledgement of the need for future funding and stand ready to work constructively with the department to ensure any replacement is fit for purpose and delivers real value for the sector,” the spokesperson added.
Eagle confirmed in her statement that “future support for the sector is being considered alongside Defra’s work to simplify and rationalise agricultural grant funding”.
“Of at least £200 million allocated to The Farming Innovation Programme through to 2030, to date nearly £40 million – representing 26 per cent of total awards – has been granted to research projects benefiting the horticulture sector offering targeted opportunities for fruit and vegetable businesses to become more profitable, resilient, and sustainable,” she said.
Eagle also pointed to wider government support for horticulture, including the five-year extension to the Seasonal Worker visa route, and extending the easement on import checks on medium risk fruit and vegetables ahead of the new SPS agreement deal with the EU.
