March is worst time for no-deal Brexit, says veg grower

AWEST organic vegetable grower is warning that March is the worst possible time to exit the European Union without a deal if it means imports of fresh produce are held up.

Riverford founder Guy Singh-Watson said: “March is the worst possible time for a no-deal Brexit. Weather permitting, some crops will have been planted (this time last year, very few had been) but, dear politicians, they need time to grow: March 29 is, in fact, the start of the UK ‘hungry gap’ when last year’s crops of kale, cabbage, greens, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, swedes and stored apples, onions and potatoes are all coming to an end, while harvest of new-season crops will not start until mid-May.”

Writing in the Guardian, the Devon farmer continued: “Indeed, fresh UK veg is scarce until June. As a nation we import about 50% of our fruit and vegetables (for Riverford it is about 30%) but that figure starts rising in the new year, reaching about 80% in April before falling again in June. If there was a ‘best time for a no-deal Brexit’, it would be July to September, as any gardener could tell our politicians. For 30 years Riverford has struggled with this reality – we even suspend our UK-only veg box from March to June because we often cannot find eight UK-grown items to put in it.”

Experts also point out that supermarket shelves were empty after just a few days of heavy snow during the ‘Beast from the East’ last year – and claim pinches in supply lines will in create price increases in fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy products. Leading supermarkets are preparing to run out of fresh produce – and a Devon farmer says the UK faces a food shortage – in the case of a nodeal Brexit.

Meanwhile Tesco and Marks & Spencer have both revealed they are stockpiling tinned goods. Lidl is hiring new customs officers who will need “to take a pragmatic approach to solving problems to ensure our imported products get on to the shelf ”.

Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis said the supermarket has been holding a special round of talks with its suppliers and increasing stocks of long-life groceries. However, because Britain imports about half of the fresh food consumed by customers, Mr Lewis said making similar arrangements for fresh food would not be possible if Britain crashes out of the EU with a no deal.

Marks & Spencer chief executive, Steve Rowe, told the Guardian its food business was “70% fresh” and anything that slows down imports “will contribute to cost and waste”.

Earlier this week, Sainsbury’s chief executive, Mike Coupe, said a nodeal Brexit would be “hugely disruptive” and “no amount of stockpiling will mitigate that risk”.

And Scotland’s rural economy secretary addes his voice to calls for Government to give details on how forestry and fishing sectors will be funded post-Brexit.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said that decisions on funding must be made to provide greater clarity. Under current arrangements, both sectors receive investment from EU funding schemes such as the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), and Pillar 2 Rural Development funds for forestry.

Mr Ewing said: “The potential negative impact of Brexit on Scotland’s rural economy is becoming clearer all the time.”