Market Gardens and Agroecology key in the future of our fruit and veg
Date Published: 21st May 2026
“Make sure market gardens can be revived, that could be a really good way to ensure we have a healthier supply of fresh fruit and veg to communities that don’t often get access to it. Short supply chains, local growing, we will see what we can do to encourage that.” Farming Minister Dame Angela Eagle on BBC Radio 4 Food Programme this week.
We were really heartened to hear the Farming Minister on BBC Radio 4 Food Programme this week saying that she wants to ‘Make sure that market gardens can be revived.’ and how market gardens and agroecological growing can offer a healthier supply of fresh fruit and veg to communities that don’t often get access to it. She also made a special mention to local growing and short supply chains.
The Minister said that she wants to increase the amount of food and veg grown in the UK, as part of the Horticultural Sector Growth Plan which we are involved in. As part of the UK Fruit and Veg Coalition, we are meeting with Defra every 3 weeks to work on the Horticultural Sector Growth Plan, which adds weight to asks we’ve put forward in meetings with Defra and the Minister over the last few months.
It was also promising to hear small growers being recognised as an important part of the food resilience and security puzzle. And a particular mention to the market garden sector ‘that has been a bit neglected is worth looking at as well’.
We were really pleased to hear the Minister also specifically mention the agroecological sector and market gardens as a good place to start if people want to get into the sector. Something we have been advocating for.
“Big growers are an important part of the jigsaw but so are small growers. This is why we are talking to the agroecological sectors and the market gardens.”
Listen to the whole programme here.