Fruit and vegetables are rationed as store shelves stripped bare
SUPERMARKETS have brought in rationing because sky-high energy bills and bad weather have hit their supplies of fresh produce.
Asda and Morrisons are already limiting sales of vegetables, with shoppers sharing pictures of empty shelves in the two chains.
The National Farmers’ Union warns the shortages of produce such as tomatoes and cauliflowers will only worsen. Cold weather and frosts in Spain and Morocco, which meet much of Britain’s winter demand, have led to the drastic situation.
The shortages stretch to onions, peppers, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, cabbages and raspberries. Frost damage to home-grown crops such
‘Restricted to three packs’
as carrots and parsnips means many fields have been written off. Shoppers in some Asda stores have been restricted to three packs of tomatoes and other fresh produce.
Morrisons is to impose a two-pack limit on tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers.
NFU president Minette Batters told the organisation’s annual conference in Birmingham yesterday farmers were facing ‘ huge cost inflation’, with fertiliser up 169 per cent, energy up 79 per cent and animal feed up 57 per cent.
And she told Sky News: ‘Production of salad ingredients like tomatoes and cucumbers is expected to fall to the lowest level since records began in 1985. Everybody wants to avoid rationing, which is what we saw with eggs in December.’
But she added: ‘ There are going to be challenges on availability of some food items.’
Field vegetables such as potatoes, cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli could also be in short supply, she said.
Britain relies on foreign produce during the winter, typically bringing in around 90 per cent of the cucumbers and tomatoes the nation eats.
An Asda spokesman said: ‘Like other supermarkets, we are experiencing sourcing challenges on some products that are grown in southern Spain and north Africa. We have introduced a temporary limit of three of each product on a very small number of fruit and vegetable lines, so customers can pick up the products they are looking for.’ A Morrisons spokesman said: ‘We are beginning to move into the UK growing season, so as well as finding alternatives to produce from Spain and northern Africa, we will see more British produce on the shelves shortly.’
Tesco, which has also seen empty shelves in some of its stores, insisted there were ‘no limits’ on vegetable sales.
Farming minister Mark Spencer told the NFU conference: ‘What has driven some of this is a frost in Morocco and Spain in November and December. This can damage a lot of the salad and brassica crops which we have traditionally relied on at this time of year – so that has created a gap in the market.
‘ It’s very difficult for UK producers to grow cauliflowers, for example over winter – they are not resistant to frost.
‘It’s not possible to grow cauliflowers in January in the United Kingdom unless you grow them in a greenhouse.’
Andrew Opie, director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, which represents supermarkets, said last night: ‘While disruption is expected to last a few weeks, supermarkets are adept at managing supply chain issues and are working with farmers to ensure that customers are able to access a wide range of fresh produce.’
■ Keir Starmer promised yesterday that Labour would ensure at least 50 per cent of food bought by schools, hospitals and prisons was British.
He told the NFU conference that national security depended on food security.
‘The Labour Party is committed to buying, making and selling more in Britain – and seasonal, sustainable, Britishgrown food is a key part of it,’ Sir Keir declared.