British vegetable supplies have been 'severely disrupted' this season as growers continue to face many, many challenge, including inflation and extreme weather events. The British Growers Association has warned that farmers are struggling to produce the nation’s supply of vegetables. The group called for an 'urgent reset' in the returns for growers, as this was now vital to ensure continuity of supply in the future.
An internal report commissioned by the British Growers Association looked at the true costs of production for broccoli and carrots. It highlighted that recent inflationary cost increases have raised production costs to unprecedented levels.
Jack Ward, CEO of British Growers, said vegetable growers across the country were facing a difficult situation. "The report showed that growers need a significant increase for their products to cover the inflationary effects on input costs and the financial impacts of the drought. "In many instances, the retail price of vegetables is lower than it was 5 years ago despite five years of cost increases.”
Source: farminguk.com