The new government has been urged by campaigners to stop relying on imports by doubling the land used to grow fruit and vegetables amid the decline of the farming sector.

In an open letter co-ordinated by the Soil Association and backed by chefs including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Anna Jones, and farming influencers such as Sinead Fenton, the new prime minister has been called on to support British, nature-friendly farming and scale up the UK horticulture sector.

The campaigners have warned that if the current decline in British fruit and veg continues, the UK will “face further disaster” for supermarket shelves, public health, and the environment.

The call comes as imports account for most of the fruit and nearly half of the veg consumed in the UK.

If the land used for horticulture in England was to double, according to the Soil Association, this would only be a small change, taking horticulture from around 2% to 4% of farmland.

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The letter said: “Across the country, growers of all scales are working tirelessly to achieve a simple but vital mission: to nourish people with good food. Nearly half of our growers fear for the survival of their businesses and fruit and veg consumption in the UK is at the lowest level in half a century.

“What’s more, the produce that does reach us is too often imported from countries that are increasingly impacted by extreme weather. This cannot go on. We urgently need more – not less – home-grown fruit and veg, or we face further disaster for supermarket shelves, our health, and the environment.”

It follows a report from Soil Association, Sustain and The Wildlife Trust which calls for Keir Starmer to go further than the last government and revive plans for a UK horticulture strategy, which were scrapped last year.

It also urges for the UK government to put more money into incentives for nature-friendly fruit and veg production, including organic, alongside tailored support for small-scale growers.

Soil Association senior policy officer and report co-author Lucia Monje-Jelfs said: “British fruit and veg is in crisis. Our diets are costing the NHS billions every year and the countries we import from are being hit by the impacts of climate change.

“If we scaled up agro-ecological horticulture like organic, boosting access to healthy and sustainable food across the country, we could help to reverse the public health disaster, slash farming emissions, and restore wildlife. The new government must act to support the country’s growers.”