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Vegetable shortages: UK needs to ‘take command’ of its own food production, says NFU’s deputy president | UK News


The UK needs to “take control” of its own food production, as the country faces an ongoing shortage of vegetables, a National Farmers Union (NFU) boss said.

Tom Bradshaw, the group’s vice president, warned that “volatility” from geopolitical events, such as the war in Ukraine, as well as climate change, was putting pressure on the supply chain.

He also said that UK faces the additional challenge of “repositioning” itself with the following trading partners Brexit.

Speaking to Times Radio, he said: “As we reposition ourselves in the world, we have left the trading bloc in the EU, where we have a very good trading relationship, we have to go further. .

“We see geopolitics and the war in Ukraine as a tragic, hugely impactful example, and I don’t think the unrest is likely to go away in the near future; we seem to be living in a state of crisis. a very unstable world.

“Then we have climate change, which complicates all of that. What we saw last summer with 40C temperatures is climate change happening.

“And we have 70 million people living on an island and we have to take responsibility for how we’re going to feed those 70 million.”

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Why lack of tomatoes?

Mr Bradshaw said that imports would “always be a part” of the UK’s food supply.

“But with all the upheaval happening around the world, we need to control the food that we can produce for ourselves here and make sure that everyone in that supply chain benefits. fair profit so we can continue to provide the food people need,” he added.

His comments came as Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey warned on Thursday that missing some fruits and vegetables in UK supermarkets can last for a month.

Environment Minister Therese Coffey speaking during the National Farmers' Union Conference at ICC, Birmingham.  Date taken: Wednesday, February 22, 2023.
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Environment Minister Therese Coffey

Labor shortages, rising feed, inflation and supply chain disruptions due to the war in Ukraine, as well as the impact of changes from Brexit, are thought to be responsible for some of the problems with the economy. supply.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has blamed “difficult weather conditions” in southern Europe and northern Africa for shortages of some items, such as tomatoes, while Farmers emphasized the impact of higher gasoline prices, which they perceive as shifting to crops. steer clear of producing out-of-season produce in-house in the UK.

Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi and Asda have so far placed purchase limits on certain fruit and vegetable items to minimize shortages.

Read more:
Vegetable shortages ‘could become more common if UK does not act’
UK supplies of leeks ‘dry up in April’ in latest warning

The NFU has called on the government to ensure more food is grown here, while strengthening supply chains and encouraging seasonal dining.

Ms Coffey was criticized for talking about British seasonal foods as a potential substitute for items running low in stores because bad weather abroad has interrupted imports.

Speaking in the House of Commons on Thursday, she was asked if eating more seasonally and locally would help avoid food shortages. Limit purchase reminders in some supermarkets.

Empty shelves in an English supermarket
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Empty shelves in an English supermarket

Miss Coffey replied, “A lot of people will eat radish right now rather than necessarily thinking about aspects of lettuce and tomatoes and the like.”

But she added that she is “aware that consumers want choice year-round, and that’s what our supermarkets, food manufacturers and growers around the world strive for.” response”.

Critics jumped on her vague comments, interpreting them as an appeal to “eat beets, not tomatoes”.

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‘Going at a slightly uncertain time’

Ms Coffey, echoing the BRC’s comments, blamed the shortages on “very unusual weather” in places like Morocco and Spain, which supply a lot of fresh British produce. in the dark winter months.

But the decrease in imports has increased current shortage of vegetables like tomatoes and cucumbers.

These items are normally grown in heated, lighted greenhouses in the UK in winter, but were planted later this year as farmers struggled to meet energy costs.

Growers also warn UK leek stocks will run out in April after crops suffered from drought and record heat caused by climate change.

Undated file photo of leeks, radishes, and radishes.  Growers are warning of a shortage of leeks that will drain UK-grown supplies in the UK by April.  High temperatures and lack of rain, followed by cold weather, are believed to be the cause "Hardest season".  Supermarkets have restricted sales of tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables because of a lack of imports.  Release date: Friday, February 24, 2023.
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Possible shortage of English leeks in spring, farmers have warned

The NFU has called on the government to extend the energy cost support package to horticulture and poultry, two energy-intensive industries that have been excluded from the financing scheme.

Mr Bradshaw told Sky News on Friday that failure to strengthen the food supply chain would lead to “many cases like the one we have right now where locally produced products are less available and at times when imports are interrupted”.

He also stressed the importance of “eating seasonally”.

He added: “That’s when British produce is at its best and often the most affordable, and it’s a great way to support local farm businesses and sustainable diets. .”

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