The use of innovation to help tackle issues around food security, changing weather patterns and labour availability was a common thread running through Fruit Focus 2025, which attracted more than 1,500 visitors from the fresh fruit and wine-making sectors.
Hosted once again at the East Malling Research Station, where Niab delivers its programme of horticultural innovation with the support of the East Malling Trust, the annual event again served as a key meeting point for growers, researchers and suppliers looking for an opportunity to explore the innovations, insights and strategies shaping UK horticulture.
NFU Horticulture Board Chair Martin Emmett told a seminar audience that food security had never been more important, particularly in the face of climate change. “I want to highlight the opportunity brought to us by the Government’s food strategy,” he said. “We would hope this is our big opportunity to get the level of government support we know our sector needs, but it’s not a simple shoe-in – we have to fight our corner.
“This current heatwave is yet another opportunity to assert the value of what we do. If we start to see temperatures up to 30°C again, people will start to realise what impact that has on our entire food infrastructure. But, how much worse is it going to be in Europe? How much does that highlight the need for food security based on UK food production?”
Growers were told by Nick Marston, Chair of British Berry Growers, that they had “a massive opportunity to export fresh berries to Europe”, but that that opportunity was being “stopped dead by border friction”.
He went on: “Everything requires a phytosanitary certificate. In England, it takes four to five days to get one; that’s longer than the shelf life and order cycle. In the EU and Scotland, you can get a phytosanitary certificate in less than 24 hours; this is purely resource. We just don’t have enough inspectors, or a system that works properly.”
As always, Fruit Focus included a wide range of suppliers highlighting innovative new ways of tackling current problems, including the need for sustainable irrigation in the face of rising temperatures and increasing pressure on water resources.
Agri Management Solutions (AMS) was one such supplier, highlighting its Nettuno Diesel Pump Model 3, designed to help farmers manage water usage more efficiently.
“This pump is remote controlled via your phone, pumps 108 cubic metres per hour at 16.6 bar and suits both small and large farms,” explained Archie Hawkins, the company’s irrigation manager.
Dogtooth Technologies was on site demonstrating its latest answer to the issue of staff recruitment. The Dogtooth Gen 5 is an advanced robotic strawberry picker designed and built entirely in the UK and engineered to analyse crops and predict yields with precision.
“It ensures each punnet weighs similarly and fills [a tray load of punnets] at the same time, providing consistency and quality,” said the firm’s Daniel Stockhill. “What’s more, one human can oversee 12 robots, massively improving labour efficiency and addressing workforce challenges.”
Aurélie Bovi, innovation sector lead at UK Agritech Centre, highlighted the amount of research currently happening in horticulture, showcasing projects improving strawberry quality and crop protection.
One demonstrated how monitoring and guiding bee activity boosted pollination and nutrition in strawberries, while another, using Polybee drones, creates pollen troughs to enhance fruit quality. Visitors also learned about a Newcastle University project using spore detection technology to identify pathogens early in soft fruit and vineyards.
With 125 projects worldwide, including strawberries in the US and Japan, GyroPlant has developed reusable plug systems that replace traditional substrate. Founder Marcus Comahsi told visitors: “We create custom solutions for growers aiming to develop resilient farms and reduce carbon emissions and waste from the substrate sector.”
Visitors were also able to join Niab-led research tours across the site, with the strawberry vertical farming research facility proving particularly popular and attracting over 100 attendees.
“I was delighted so see so many key players from the fresh produce industry at East Malling for Fruit Focus,” said Niab chief executive Mario Caccamo. “This is a sector that is thirsty for innovation and can set up global standards for environmentally aware horticulture and high quality produce.
“The challenges are significant, and it is clear that we will need support from progressive government policies for the sector to be successful. I was, however, very encouraged by the quality and diversity of the solutions on display at this year’s event. The future is bright.”
Event Director Alli McEntyre agreed: “From buzzing exhibitor stands to packed talks on technology, sustainability and the future, the energy and appetite for progress was clear. Fruit Focus continues to be the place where the fruit industry connects, collaborates and looks ahead. With so much innovation and drive, it’s clear there’s a bright future ahead.”
