We must grow more of our own veg, UK told

THE PANDEMIC has exposed how vulnerable the UK’s food system is – with a “dangerous dependence” on two EU countries for fresh vegetables, Yorkshire academics have warned.

In a paper published today by University of York researchers, they say there is not enough domestic food production while

“just-in-time” supply chains and labour market problems due to Brexit have weakened the UK’s system.

While the single market has kept goods flowing during lockdown, the pandemic could still coincide with a no-deal Brexit if the UK leaves the transition period without a trade deal at the end of the year, say researchers. They urge the Government and food industry to use the Covid-19 recovery to refocus the system to grow more food sustainably in the UK.

The authors stressed the UK’s lack of diversity in where it sources products is a point of “acute vulnerability”.

The UK is highly dependent on Spain and the Netherlands for the majority of its fresh vegetable imports and on the Straits of Dover for bringing in much of the imported fruit and veg.

The report reveals 83 per cent of lettuces imported to the UK come via Dover, along with 67 per cent of tomatoes and 77 per cent of strawberries.

Professor Bob Doherty, from the University of York, said: “The

UK Government in partnership with the food industry must rethink this reliance on such a vulnerable food system in the Covid-19 recovery period.”

The study calls for more crop diversity, investment in skills, training and digital automation to address labour issues and assessment of new approaches such as indoor vertical farming.