British apple and pear growers will face rise in production costs for 2026 season
7th January 2026
Apple and pear growers are likely to face around a 2% increase in the overall cost of production for the 2026 season, driven by persistent inflationary pressures across key areas of orchard management and post-harvest operations.
This latest assessment commissioned by British Apples & Pears Limited (BAPL) from Andersons Farm Consulting underlines a continued squeeze on grower margins at a time when the sector is already under strain from labour cost rises, energy price volatility, and structural cost increases.
According to the Andersons’ analysis, the biggest areas of inflation are in:
- Growing and harvest costs are up nearly 3%, driven by labour-related activities such as pruning, thinning and harvesting
- Overhead costs, also rising by 3%, include full-time labour, machinery depreciation, repairs, insurance, property costs and finance
- Storage, grading, packing and marketing, which together increased by 2% and remain one of the largest absolute cost centres for growers.
With growers’ margins already eroded, these increases continue a trend BAPL highlighted in 2024, when analysis showed that government policy, particularly around labour costs, was driving unavoidable inflation across the fresh produce sector.
‘Fair returns today secure British apples and pears for tomorrow’
Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, said: “Once again, independent analysis confirms that the cost of growing, storing and packing British apples and pears continues to rise. Growers cannot absorb these increases. Fair returns are required to protect investments in orchard area, storage and packing facilities.
“These cost increases are modest in percentage terms but critical in real-world impact. They compound year after year, and growers are now operating on margins that are unsustainably thin. If retailers want a thriving British apple and pear sector, they must reflect these genuine, independent cost increases in the returns to growers.”
Ms Capper added that shoppers want to buy British fruit. “But without investment, we cannot deliver the volumes, quality and innovation that consumers expect. Fair returns today secure British apples and pears for tomorrow,” she added.
“Our ambition is clear: to grow British apples’ market share and increase availability for shoppers. We know consumers want more British fruit. With the right long-term conditions, we can expand production, invest in innovation, modernise our stores, and bring forward exciting new varieties.”
To safeguard the future of British apple and pear production, BAPL is calling on UK retailers to:
- Provide fair, sustainable returns. Recognise independently verified inflation in growers’ costs and ensure that returns enable reinvestment
- Commit to long-term partnerships. Offer multi-year supply relationships that provide growers with confidence to plant and maintain orchards and infrastructure
- Support British produce. Prioritise British apples and pears wherever possible, strengthening the resilience of the UK’s food system.
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