British Berry Growers urge water management reforms

British Berry Growers (BBG) is calling for government intervention to improve water management and protect the UK food supply against future weather extremes. While significant private investment in on-farm reservoirs, rainwater storage, and water-efficient systems has helped many growers maintain production during recent hot and dry summers, the industry warns that further progress is being hindered by several factors.

According to the BBG 2025 Sustainability Report, 61% of growers have already invested in reservoirs or rainwater storage, and 65% have reduced water use by an average of 16% over the last three years. However, the organization identifies planning restrictions, high capital costs for infrastructure, and the current abstraction licensing system as major barriers to further investment.

To address these challenges, BBG has proposed four key areas for government action: providing grants for horticultural water infrastructure, reforming the planning system to allow faster development of on-farm reservoirs, modernizing water regulation and abstraction licensing to better utilize winter rainfall, and ensuring food production is prioritized during drought conditions.