Fruit and Vine Magazine

17/09/2026

Great British Apples has announced the winners of its 2026 retailer awards, revealing that its members supplied a record 180,506 tonnes of British apples and pears to UK supermarkets during the 2025/26 season.

➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/bapl-announces-winners-of-2026-retailer-awards/

British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has announced the winners of its 2026 retailer awards.

16/09/2026

Nyetimber, one of the pioneers of English sparkling w**e, began picking grapes on 14th September for the earliest harvest in its nearly 40-year history 🍇

Read more ➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/long-established-uk-vineyard-begins-earliest-ever-harvest/

Wines

14/09/2026

British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) has published a new definition of regenerative apple and pear growing, setting out dedicated guidelines to help the industry advance regenerative practices in commercial orchards 🍎

Read more ➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/bapl-sets-out-new-definition-for-regenerative-fruit-growing/

British Apples

11/09/2026

🍓 “We’ve had a great year, but also a big loss,” said Bal Padda, who, together with his family, runs Vicarage Nurseries in the Vale of Evesham 🍓

➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/bumper-strawberry-crop-but-smaller-fruit-brings-mixed-harvest-results/

“We've had a great year, but also a big loss,” said Bal Padda, who, together with his family, runs Vicarage Nurseries in the Vale of Evesham.

04/09/2026

Alfie White visited Willow Farm in Suffolk earlier today to see Chris Howard’s new VBC orchard pruning machine.

The pruner, acquired from B R Strathern Ltd, is expected to help reduce production costs for the orchard in the coming years.

Read all about the decision behind the purchase in the next issue of Fruit & Vine.

Ben Strathern

02/09/2026

A total of 41,000 visas have been allocated to horticultural workers under the 2027 Seasonal Worker Scheme.

➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/41k-visas-allocated-under-2027-seasonal-worker-scheme/

A total of 41,000 visas have been allocated to horticultural workers under the 2027 Seasonal Worker Scheme.

31/08/2026

🫐 Between 2019 and 2024, sales of British blueberries increased from 40,000 to 52,000 tonnes, while demand for British berries rose a further 15% in the year to April 2026.

One grower leading the way is Hall Hunter Partnership, which now produces more than 40% of the UK’s blueberries across more than 200 hectares. The business is investing heavily in technology, including Harvy 500 harvesters, AI grading and innovative bird protection systems.

Read more here ➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/can-uk-blueberry-growers-step-up-to-meet-domestic-demand/

Hall Hunter Partnership

29/08/2026

Agroma UK brings a new range of specialist fruit and vine sprayers to British growers, built at Agroma’s ISO quality-certified factory in Greece, with stock and support based at Knight Farm Machinery’s South Luffenham headquarters.

The range includes the Cyclone M mounted sprayers, Cyclone T trailed models and Cyclone TD Octopus, offering capacities from 400 to 4,000 litres and a choice of fan, tower and applications to suit different crops and canopy heights.

Read more here ➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/new-agroma-uk-business-brings-full-sprayer-line-to-growers/

Agroma UK

27/08/2026

Niab has published two new factsheets offering apple growers practical guidance based on recent research that achieved a five-fold reduction in apple canker 🍎

Read more ➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/apple-growers-offered-new-guidance-to-tackle-canker/

26/08/2026

Ali Capper, executive chairman of British Apples and Pears Ltd, has welcomed a report calling on the government to increase investment in the UK horticulture industry 🍎🥕

Read more ➡️ https://www.fruitandvine.co.uk/ali-capper-welcomes-calls-for-greater-uk-horticulture-investment/

Food Foundation