The Horticultural Trades Association ( HTA ) is call in for the UK Government to treat the growing need to support UK horticulture and with it , underpin a light-green economic revitalization Wiley Post - COVID-19 . A fresh HTA industry study reveal that over one-half of British ornamental cultivator ( 52 % ) carry a further downturn in sales from June to August as they have not been able to plant crops during lockdown , and this is now resulting in increased imports .
Historically as petty as 10 % of bedding plants were import during the meridian trading season - when 60 % of sales are typically made between March and May in the UK . Due to the pandemic lockdown , the latest HTA survey shows this digit has spiked significantly - 65 % of larger retailer surveyed stated they were import more bedding plants , with almost half of these retailers stating increase imports of hardy nursery stock ( HNS ) and around 4 in 10 are importing more herbaceous perennials . plant such as geranium , osteospermum , petunia , hostas , fern and clematis have all see large rise in importing .
The British Garden Centres group , which has the secondly largest number of stores in the UK , traditionally sources its plants from growers within the UK and , throughout the twelvemonth , source less than 20 % from abroad . However , to meet requirement in the last month , they have had to turn to Europe for most 60 % of their plant .
There has also been a ascension in the number of retail merchant having to spell plants from other countries which typically include the Netherlands , Germany , Italy , Belgium , Denmark , France and Ireland .
Almost three quarter of retail merchant in the study ( 72 % ) say that they were currently unable to get the stock of bedding flora their byplay needs from UK agriculturalist .
While UK - develop supplying of HNS and herbaceous perennials presented less of an issue - around 8 in 10 retail merchant surveyed stated they can get sufficient pedigree - 51 % of garden centres overall said they were importing more bedding plants while 39 % indicate they were spell more hydrogen azide and 38 % suppose more herbaceous perennials imports .
The industry plays an essential role in safeguard plant health as well as strengthening the UK ’s biosecurity programme . A unattackable horticultural sector has been identified as vital to hand over the Government ’s 25 - twelvemonth Environmental Plan . A thinned industry will lead in Britain becoming more reliant on signification , undermining the strong regulatory and industry voluntary approach taken to do plant wellness and biosecurity in this nation . It risk let in withering pests and diseases that the UK has been give to keep at bay , such as Xylella fastidiosa , emerald ash stone drill and Asian long - automobile horn beetle .
No other industry has confront the seasonality and perishableness of the plant cultivator ’ sphere during the lockdown full stop , which has resulted in the £ 1.3bn British nursery market disposing of hundreds of tonne of plants over the last few months .
While the conclusion to re - exposed garden center last calendar month was welcome , many of these businesses have been lead without fiscal support as they were unable to access political science grant schemes . The HTA is calling for a UK grant care schema along the lines of the one put in stead by the Dutch regime . It is also believed that the current availability of European bloodline is due to factors such as other interference by the Dutch government of € 600 m to defend their diligence , allowing assurance to continue originate , and the fact that garden centre in the Netherlands and Germany remained open during lockdown .
Over the last decade , the Government , the HTA and others in the industry have been working together to tone the UK ’s biosecurity , which protects industrial plant that farm in our garden and in the countryside and is regarded as all-important to the conservation of the country ’s natural environment as well as our solid food security .
“ While significance are always a part of our diligence , UK garden essence have a stiff track record of sourcing British plants , but the pressures of COVID-19 has forced many to look abroad . Now , more than ever , we need to work up domestic production , to supply resilience that comes with a strong UK based horticultural industry . We need the Westminster and devolve politics to support our industriousness , as the Dutch Government has done for theirs .
“ The UK ca n’t afford to offshore its environmental responsibility . We have the potential drop in the UK in a billet COVID-19 , post - Brexit world to become leader in this field - to green our economy in skill and research , in horticultural production and in environmental control systems – the ornamental gardening industry is uniquely placed to contribute this revival ” .
“ By supporting our UK growers , we are not only nurturing our health and wellbeing over this critical geological period but we will be safeguard our plants and protect the resource that are so essential to our surround for years to total . We also demand to protect the worthful experience and knowledge of the people that form the backbone of this industry . ”
supply by BIG Partnership on behalf of the Horticultural Trades Association .
For more informationHorticultural Trades Associationwww.the-hta.org.uk
