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<p>The Government recognises the crucial role that all agricultural sectors are playing
during this time.</p><p>As horticulture is part of the agricultural sector, impacts
of COVID-19 on the horticulture industry are being overseen by the UK Agricultural
Market Monitoring Group, which meets weekly to monitor UK agricultural markets and
to provide forewarning of any atypical market movements. During the coronavirus outbreak,
this has allowed Defra and the devolved administrations to share the latest stakeholder
information and data to ensure we have an evidence base to assess the effects of COVID-19
on the agricultural industry, in specific markets, or geographical regions.</p><p>Officials
are having regular meetings with the different agricultural sectors to understand
the specific issues affecting each sector. It is clear that the coronavirus pandemic
is having an impact on horticulture businesses up and down the country and the Government
is acutely aware of the challenges facing parts of the industry at this time. We have
been working closely with the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) on reviewing
when and how garden centres can reopen safely and as of May 13<sup>th</sup> 2020,
garden centres have been allowed to reopen. This will allow businesses to sell their
products directly to the public once again and in doing so bring about the wider benefits
to consumers, especially for physical and mental wellbeing, which gardening can bring.
There is extensive ongoing engagement being undertaken by the department with representatives
from the horticulture supply chain to capture emerging issues and to identify what
short-term and long-term support the sector, as a whole, needs.</p><p>We will continue
to monitor the situation and to work closely with the sector as restrictions are removed
and recovery begins.</p>
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