Oh yes, we have no tomatoes !

pascal30

At my local Aldi the poor checkout staff are having to check everyone's shopping bags now. Presumably there has been so much stock being stolen.. it used to be the security guys who occasionally checked but now it is every single customer..

They'll be putting security tags on cucumbers next.

Has anyone given a thought to the farmers and workers - poor weather resulting in poor harvests means they will be running at a loss.

At my local Aldi the poor checkout staff are having to check everyone's shopping bags now. Presumably there has been so much stock being stolen.. it used to be the security guys who occasionally checked but now it is every single customer..

Three types of tomato in our local farm shop today, I didn’t buy any. Instead kale, swede, cauliflower and potatoes were purchased.

Fleurpepper you seem to have a real old bee in your bonnet about Brexit.😂
It’s other factors in the fruit and veg shortage, mainly bad weather conditions abroad and in the UK the high energy prices.
I guess we’ll all live to tell the tale tho.

It's quite funny actually if you read for example French newspaper reports about our shortages here in the UK. You'd think we were all starving the way they refer to it as a food crisis! Apparently we are desperately lacking in certain foods and on the verge of rationing like in WW 2.

Anyway I can't see why rationing needs to be introduced with something like cucumbers or even tomatoes. People can't exactly stock pile them like pasta.

Fleurpepper

Casdon, yes there has been poor weather, so there is a shortage which means little to export beyond EU.

On the ground, in RL, there are no shortages in shops all over Europe.

If you know better than the industry does, and have eyes over the whole of Europe, then so be it Fleurpepper.
The article said:
‘According to the industry magazine, Fruitnet, supermarkets across Europe face shortages of fruit and vegetables.’
That is an explicit statement.

If you’ve read the whole article you will see that energy costs in the UK are also a significant factor as the amount of homegrown produce has reduced, and there is the same issue in Holland where the UK traditionally purchases a lot of goods. The bottom line is we need to improve the resilience of our home grown produce, and pay the going rate if we import

Yes.

A British farmer was explaining how the very hot summer, an unusually warm autumn followed by freezing weather meant planting times were disrupted.

www.itv.com/news/2023-02-22/uk-needs-food-security-action-plan-to-prevent-supermarket-shortages-union-warns

The government needs to make long-term plans.

Well, let's ask all Grans who live all over Europe. Do you have shortages of fruit and veg locally?

Ireland is in the EU
There is a shortage in shops in Ireland.

Weather, hikes in fuel prices, fertiliser have all contributed to crop failures.

Casdon, yes there has been poor weather, so there is a shortage which means little to export beyond EU.

On the ground, in RL, there are no shortages in shops all over Europe.

MawtheMerrier

Perhaps we need to remember what is in season and what involves food miles to gratify our desires.
Salad veg, tomatoes etc in Feb? Not in my childhood in Scotland!

Yes we do need to remember to buy local and fresh when we can.

Having said that DH has been shopping and bought peppers and cucumber from Spain. The tomatoes were grown in Kent UK as was the veg. Apart from the baby corn requested by DS for his stir fry which came from India!

Fleurpepper

Casdon

Fleurpepper

No shortage anywhere in Europe! But they are keeping it all for themselves, and you can't blame them.

There are shortages in Europe as well according to ITV News Fleurpepper.
www.itv.com/news/2023-02-20/why-are-we-seeing-empty-shelves-in-our-supermarket

I have re- read this link several times- and no, I can't see where it says there are shortages in Europe. They are keeping what they are producing, with Morocco- and have enough for themselves.

But none to export to non EU members, with added transport, red tape, currency, etc, etc, issues.

You need to read it again Fleurpepper - 5th paragraph, under Bad Weather Overseas section.

If you’ve read the whole article you will see that energy costs in the UK are also a significant factor as the amount of homegrown produce has reduced, and there is the same issue in Holland where the UK traditionally purchases a lot of goods. The bottom line is we need to improve the resilience of our home grown produce, and pay the going rate if we import.

And on a very poor year, he would keep everything for him and mum. Quite simple

And some years there is nothing.

Because of weather conditions we had not a single plum nor apple on our trees last year.

Fleurpepper
no shortages in Europe that’s a lie.

Calistemon
Would that be Brexit related weather conditions 🤔

One neighbour from his choir left the Club, was unpleasant and argumentative, he never gave them any, good or bad year.

Sorry, that was
www.irishtimes.com/food/2023/02/21/supply-of-vegetables-to-ireland-disrupted-by-poor-weather-and-energy-costs

I'll take the example of my dad's veggie garden. On a very good year, he would drive to friends to give them surplus. On a good year, he would just give them to neighbours in their hamlet. On a so so year, just to the neighbours on either side who were so helpful. On a poor year, he would give the odd veg to his favourite neighbour next door. And on a very poor year, he would keep everything for him and mum. Quite simple.

A huge grower near us has stopped growing vegetables and fruit and now produces young trees in acres of greenhouses.

But, to be fair, there are shortages in Ireland too and that is not due to Brexit.

Yesterday:
Irish retailers have expressed concern about a shortage in availability of certain fruit and vegetables with salad items such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers proving to be harder to source because of poor weather conditions in Europe.

Justin Leonard, managing director of Jackie Leonard and Sons, a wholesale fruit and vegetable supplier in Dublin told the RTÉ Radio News at One that Spain has experienced “16 consecutive nights of below freezing temperatures over the last three weeks.

Mr Leonard said when temperatures go below zero plants stop producing and close in on themselves as a protective measure.

As a result there is just no product available to be harvested. This is unfortunately a problem that is going to continue to go on for another two to three weeks, if not longer, because unfortunately we are also coming towards the end of the Spanish season.

Casdon

Fleurpepper

No shortage anywhere in Europe! But they are keeping it all for themselves, and you can't blame them.

There are shortages in Europe as well according to ITV News Fleurpepper.
www.itv.com/news/2023-02-20/why-are-we-seeing-empty-shelves-in-our-supermarket

I have re- read this link several times- and no, I can't see where it says there are shortages in Europe. They are keeping what they are producing, with Morocco- and have enough for themselves.

But none to export to non EU members, with added transport, red tape, currency, etc, etc, issues.

'While former Sainsbury's CEO Justin King acknowledged supply has been affected by poor weather abroad, he also said the sector had been "hurt horribly by Brexit".

Mr King told Nick Ferrari at Breakfast on LBC that UK greenhouses, previously known to grow tomatoes, have suffered in recent years.

"These are products that we do produce, or in the past have produced year round in the UK," Mr King said.

He continued: "North Kent, in Thanet, [had] the largest greenhouses in Europe, which used to be full of peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes.

"But those greenhouses have suffered, really, from two big things. I hate to say it, Nick, but it's a sector that's been hurt horribly by Brexit."

Same with other CEO's - yes, shortages elsewhere, due to bad weather, etc, etc + energy prices - COMBINED WITH BREXIT and all the difficulties therein, + low Sterling have caused this. A massive combo.

I think it has a place on this thread because our own produce may soon be in short supply if demand increases.

Those who have switched to a plant based diet don’t just eat tomatoes and peppers. Frozen and tinned veg may also have to be rationed to prevent a ‘loo roll’ type panic.
Meat and two veg is a thing of the past.

Put them in tiny boats and send the migrant workers here instead ?

MerylStreep

If it’s Brexit related why a shortage now.
And shame on all of you who buy Spanish fruit and veg thereby supporting the horrendous working conditions of migrant workers.

Yes, African farm workers in Spain live in terrible conditions.

Tomatoes may have been cheap but at what cost?