The last six years has seen the UK tomato production take a sharp tumble, with domestic output almost sliced in half due to rising energy and labour costs, and workforce shortages.
Consequently, around 80% of tomatoes consumed in the UK are now imported, which is not only carbon-inefficient but makes the sector more vulnerable to supply chain risks.
Led by CambridgeHOK, a consortium of plant scientists, commercial growers and engineers will use the c.£3 million in funding to redesign how tomatoes are grown.
The venture, dubbed ‘The AutoTom Project’, will see the team develop miniature tomato varieties using precision breeding techniques, which can be grown at a higher density, leading to potentially double the yield whilst maintaining quality.
These smaller, uniform plants are also specifically designed to be compatible with automated handling and harvesting, reducing the need for manual labour throughout the growing cycle. To this end, CambridgeHOK will adapt its automated cultivation technology to move the plants through the greenhouse on conveyor belts, removing the need for workers having to walk long rows to tend and harvest crops. It’s expected that this will reduce labour costs by more than 70%.
“AutoTom is a highly-ambitious and innovative project which, if successful, could support a significant shift toward more localised tomato production in the UK, and improve the resilience of domestic food supply chains by reducing the reliance on imports,” said project chair, Patrick Harte.
“The system also has the potential to lower transport-related emissions and initial early estimates suggest yields could double, in what would be a major boost to the industry.
“With tomatoes representing a £1.8 billion market in the UK, we hope the AutoTom project can help restore competitiveness to British growers and we’re excited by its potential to reshape how tomatoes are grown in the UK.”
Investment is being provided by The Farming Innovation Programme, funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and delivered in conjunction with Innovate UK.
This project is the one of the first in the UK to be funded by Defra following a 2025 change to the law (introduction of Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 for plants in England) which allows a more streamlined regulatory process for gene-edited crops.
