Get set for greenhouses as big as the Millennium Dome!
THE Prime Minister will today unveil plans to boost farmers and encourage Britons to buy local by supercharging the production of home-grown fruit and vegetables.
Food security will be at the heart of Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit strategy and will include growing tomatoes in greenhouses as large as the Millennium Dome, now known as The O2.
Just 15 per cent of tomatoes supplied in the UK are grown here but the plan encourages British producers to use newage greenhouse technology to reduce reliance on overseas traders.
Although the current level of food produced will broadly remain the same, £270million will be invested to supercharge production in sectors such as seafood and horticulture.
Mr Johnson said: ‘Our food strategy sets out a blueprint uel for how we will back farmers, boost British industry and help protect people against the impacts of future economic shocks
sby safeguarding our food security. Harnessing new technologies and innovation, we will grow and eat more of our own food, unlocking jobs and growing the economy.’
Planning red tape could be removed for the new giant greenhouses, which could grow up to 20 tonnes of tomatoes a day.
Minette Batters, president of the National Farmers’ Union, welcomed the ‘strong commitment’ to increasing food production but warned that land use was crucial.
Yesterday she told LBC: ‘The challenge is making sure this policy can deliver on the ground. Balancing our land use is a massive issue so I hope this is the start of a different and new conversation.’ Labour environment spokesman Jim McMahon said the strategy was ‘vague intentions, not a concrete proposal’. The Government said it was built on Henry Dimbleby’s i independent review of th the food system last year.