It doesn’t make sense.

84% of our fruit is imported and 47% of our veg also imported.
Now why can’t we grow veg here and sine fruit too,
We are self sufficient for only 40% of our own apples.
What are farmers doing, or is it the supermarkets buying from abroad?

Some not sine

If supermarkets prefer to buy from abroad is it because our home grown fruit and veg costs more ?

It’s not always a simple equation.Some of the things mentioned can’t be grown in the UK except in heated, artificially lit greenhouses, so I don’t have a problem buying them from abroad, eg bananas, oranges, avocados. I always buy British when I can, and buy in season, but I’m not giving up my oranges because they have to be imported.

silverlining48

84% of our fruit is imported and 47% of our veg also imported.
Now why can’t we grow veg here and sine fruit too,
We are self sufficient for only 40% of our own apples.
What are farmers doing, or is it the supermarkets buying from abroad?

Not sure how accurate this link is, but I suspect it is very reliable

theenglishappleman.com/journal_2023-09-29-English-Apples-an-industry-in-crisis-and-a-consumer-responds.asp

I bought some Mescolare tomatoes (red and yellow) - Tesco Finest range grown by Delight Salads in Yorkshire.. They are lovely, sweet and vibrant and the label states.
I also bought Zespri Sungold Kiwi Fruit they are from New Zealand..they are delicious.
You can't fight the supermarkets buying all year round from all over the world so if I fancy something I will buy it but I do when possible always choose British first.

silverlining48

84% of our fruit is imported and 47% of our veg also imported.
Now why can’t we grow veg here and sine fruit too,
We are self sufficient for only 40% of our own apples.
What are farmers doing, or is it the supermarkets buying from abroad?

85% of Kent apple orchards were grubbed up as a result of the EU regulations.

I'm surprised people don't remember that.

Some people say it is all about government control.

If the Uk doesnt have it's own food, then we are more government controlled.

At least in certain moments and time, I can certainly see why some people think like that.

Casdon

It’s not always a simple equation.Some of the things mentioned can’t be grown in the UK except in heated, artificially lit greenhouses, so I don’t have a problem buying them from abroad, eg bananas, oranges, avocados. I always buy British when I can, and buy in season, but I’m not giving up my oranges because they have to be imported.

I don't think anyone would seriously say you have to give up oranges, or bananas or whatever. We are supporting workers in other countries.
However, it is sad that we can’t/don’t grow enough of some things that grow well here.
The issue is more about whether the damage to the environment by cows, is far outweighed by the damage done by importing all those things.

Both have adverse impacts, surely? I don’t think you can offset one against the other, or blame government, or the supermarkets, or indeed farmers, either, it’s a complex situation.
I think it will be consumer demand that’s the hardest nut to crack, food is cheap in the UK, and people make choices every time they shop. I’m very much a Buy British advocate, not just for food, but for everything, and it’s not cheap or easy. I spent ages today, trying to find soap that was made in the UK, armed with a list of which ones are - it was like looking for gold.

Farm shop for seasonal veggies and a wet fish delivery every week………have a look at the packaging on frozen fish next time you’re in Tesco………..fish caught in the North Atlantic and packed in…….CHINA! Well, this was so when I looked some months ago, and I absolutely refuse to purchase fish with such a high carbon footprint print. And meat is bought from a local butcher who buys from local farms.

GrannyGravy13

petra

We go one step further and ask the supermarket why our own grown produce is on the top shelf when imports are in line of site
As some on here know I have driven through the polytunnels in Spain many times.
If you were to see the conditions and living quarters you might think differently when you see *produce of spain*

Totally agree, when we are in Spain we buy from the local roadside vendors, they may be misshapen but the flavour is far better.

The raid side vendors buy that produce from the polytunnels.
When you drive through there are skips full of fruit and veg that the deem un sellable.

I very much recommend watching Rachel's Farm on BBC iPlayer which explains why cattle are actually very good for the environment

I asked our market trader why the strawberries were from Belgium at the height of the English season. He said last week’s rain then heat had ruined ours. They were back on Saturday but doubled in price.

I too buy from our local butchers, wet fish stall, but no greengrocers in our little market town anymore.

The local market is not what it was.

We are lucky that we can afford the butchers and fishmongers prices, but I expect many just can’t afford to, and are forced to buy cheaper quality from elsewhere.

You’re not comparing apples with oranges here. Growing meat in any form has a far greater impact on the environment in terms of emissions, land use, water use, than any fruit or veg, even imported stuff. That’s not to mention the downright cruelty in industrial scale meat production. Yes people should cut down on meat from wherever, much of which is imported, that’s not to say we shouldn’t grow our own produce or eat what is as locally produced as possible.

Growing almonds for the almond milk beloved of so many has an incredibly bad impact on the environment, doubled by the processing and transport costs. I had hoped to avoid the vegan argument, and I’m pleased that the posts lasted nearly two pages without it.
Posters have been more interested in pointing out what we could grow more of in the UK and what it our climate makes it difficult to grow on a commercial scale, but we are so used to having that we’d really miss them e.g. oranges and bananas.

I had hoped to avoid the vegan argument, and I’m pleased that the posts lasted nearly two pages without it.

It's inevitable.
I'm concerned about these fellas, DD has just been to see them in their protected area because they are endangered from losing their habitat due to the increasing demands for soya as well as palm oil.

Much soya production goes to feed livestock not humans. Almonds are always cited as bad in terms of intensive production, still use less land and water than meat production.

Allira

^I had hoped to avoid the vegan argument, and I’m pleased that the posts lasted nearly two pages without it^.

It's inevitable.
I'm concerned about these fellas, DD has just been to see them in their protected area because they are endangered from losing their habitat due to the increasing demands for soya as well as palm oil.

Yes, but someone will undoubtedly pop up and talk about feeding animals with soya.
Not eating animals is a personal choice, but forcing others to accept your belief seems to be a common feature of life today.

Not eating animals is a personal choice, but forcing others to accept your belief seems to be a common feature of life today.

Some vegans claim that people who eat meat are more aggressive.
🤔

foxie48

I live in an area that grows lots of fruit and veg, farmers find it very difficult to recruit pickers and lots of the crops require hand picking. Many of our local farmers seem to have to rely on foreign labout. I'm currently picking mange tout, tayberries and raspberries from the garden, they're all tedious to pick so I can understand why it's cheaper to fly them in from countries where labour is cheaper.

We do have quite a few pick your own places here, but recently have found that some of them have already picked the best of the crop already

Casdon

Both have adverse impacts, surely? I don’t think you can offset one against the other, or blame government, or the supermarkets, or indeed farmers, either, it’s a complex situation.
I think it will be consumer demand that’s the hardest nut to crack, food is cheap in the UK, and people make choices every time they shop. I’m very much a Buy British advocate, not just for food, but for everything, and it’s not cheap or easy. I spent ages today, trying to find soap that was made in the UK, armed with a list of which ones are - it was like looking for gold.

How about starting a thread on UK made/grown brands?

Calendargirl

Was going to buy some strawberries in Tesco this morning, but saw they were grown in the Netherlands, so I didn’t.

I bought some at a greengrocer’s last week, I said, ‘are they local?’ He said ‘Hmm, not really, Scotland’ .

That was ok with me.

If you live in Southern England, The Netherlands are considerably closer than Scotland!

Or is your criterion political? Would you change your mind if Scotland achieved independence?

ExaltedWombat

No, I don’t live in the south.

I suppose I support anything grown in the UK as pretty much home grown.

As for Scottish independence, well, if that ever happens, I shall have to reconsider.

It won’t happen in my lifetime though, so not too worried.