Food prices set to soar
Bad weather blights livestock and crops as fears grow of shortages in the shops
FAMILIES face further rises in food prices as the crisis in Scotland’s farming industry deepens.
Livestock numbers have plummeted to critically low levels, threatening shortages of Scottish meat in supermarkets.
Extreme weather l ast spring added to the industry’s problems. Both crops and livestock were badly hit and ministers paid £5million in compensation to farmers.
There are warnings that the price of pork, beef and lamb could soar as shops rely more and more on expensive imports.
Food bills have increased three times faster than pay in the past year and families face the biggest squeeze on budgets in 60 years.
Now there are calls for urgent action to boost farming, which is worth billions in exports alone. According to the latest agricultural census, there has been a further fall in cattle and sheep numbers.
The harsh weather also saw fewer winter crops – such as wheat, potatoes and oilseed rape – planted.
The National Farmers Union blamed last year’s wet weather, this spring’s cold temperatures and the closure of meat-processing plants.
The sheep flock shrank 2 per cent to just over 6.5 million – its lowest level since 1947. The drop was mainly due to a 5 per cent fall in the number of lambs, much of which was related to the poor weather.
The total number of cattle has also fallen 2 per cent to 1.8million, its lowest since the mid-1950s.
Pig numbers slumped 12 per cent to 319,000, which was attributed in part to a reduction in meat processing facilities north of the Border.
Scottish Lib Dem rural affairs spokesman Tavish Scott said: ‘Five hundred herds have left Scottish agriculture and one million sheep have gone in a decade. This is the heartbeat of the Scottish industry and the mainstay of exports.
‘The Scottish Government must recognise livestock farmers and crofters in their decisions over agricultural support.’
The disastrous weather has left Scots farmers owing more than £1.7billion to banks. This is the highest total in a decade, raising fears of another hike in food prices as they struggle with high costs.
Bob Carruth, of NFU Scotland, said: ‘Given the exceptional and extreme weather endured by Scottish farmers in the winter of 2012 and the spring of 2013, the figures revealed in the June census will come as little surprise to those close to the agricultural sector.’
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said: ‘These statistics highlight the scale of the challenge facing Scotland’s meat industry.’