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.

Oreo

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.

Whatever gave you that idea?

I may have mused this but has nobody seen this coming as we have failed to pay our UK producers/farmers/growers a fair rate, preferring to screw the price down to a point where they have often been forced out of business and have turned instead to cheap imported produce which can undercut our home producers?
Cheap food at whatever cost has made us dependent on imports and as a country we can no longer feed ourselves.
Ask any dairy farmer, sheep farmer, even chicken farmer.

Fleurpepper

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

Well you can presumably be the first to comment?

Lee Stiles, secretary of Lea Valley Growers Association (LVGA) told ITV News yesterday: “The supermarkets decided not to pay the cost of production price for British growers and instead decided to import more cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers from overseas.”

British supermarkets have driven down the prices they pay producers for food, both homegrown and from overseas; food in the UK costs around 26% less in the UK than in France. UK food is, on average, cheaper than many comparable European countries with the exception of Germany.

Consequently, if there is a shortage of certain foods due to weather conditions, higher cost of production etc, then producers will supply those who will pay the best price first whoever they are.

Why wouldn't they?
They have to cover costs and make some profit.

MawtheMerrier

Fleurpepper

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

Well you can presumably be the first to comment?

Food in Switzerland costs more than any other European country, with Norway, Denmark and Iceland next.

If UK wholesalers said they would buy a premium for these vegetables, the same price as eg France, then no doubt they'd soon reappear on our shelves.

Shoppers would then have the choice to say "How much ?! I'm not paying £1.25 for six tomatoes".

🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅🍅

Pay a premium.....

👀.

Last night on the bus I overheard some old men even older than me bemoaning the fact that they had given up their allotments.
One said it was when he retired as he spent 8 weeks a year in Spain and also he knew there was a waiting list.
The two were discussing the merits of Maris piper potatoes, especially for chips.

They both looked very healthy.
I will see if the kale is still flourishing.
Tomatoes are a luxury.

You’ve fallen for it Whitewavemark2 just like Fleurpepper
How many times do people need to be told😆
Not Brexit, Not Brexit, Not Brexit,it’s bad weather in certain countries and high cost of energy in UK and Netherlands.
I’ve had no probs btw, with my veg in the Co-op and M&S.
Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers as normal.

This is why the shelves are empty.
Greedy supermarkets won’t budge on price payed to the wholesaler.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/fruit-veg-shortage-grocer-explains-26305750

Plentiful supply of vegetables and salad items in local farm shop. We have an independent Turkish grocers in my road which also has eggs, tomatoes & the so called elusive cucumbers.

Inclement weather along with greedy large supermarkets grinding down the producers and farmers to the nth degree.

Why should farmers not be entitled to a decent price for their produce, I would much rather they get a fair b price which enables them to continue in business than have the imported produce from Spain and Morocco where the workers are little more than modern day slaves.

I haven't seen any shortages in either Sainsbury's or Waitrose on my last two visits, however, I'm not complacent I know they could well be in the pipe line and rationing could be implemented at some time in the near future. .

Do agree with farmers being ground down by supermarkets and need to be paid a fairer price for their produce.

We were in Spain last year near the Spanish/Portuguese border, the poly tunnels were very much in evidence, in fact the whole landscape in certain areas look liked a sea of plastic, some of which ends up in the sea according to one of Simon Reeves recent travelogues and as you say GG those migrant workers are little more than modern day slaves.

Meanwhile, back in the Netherlands some farmers there have been forced to give up their farms under EU legislation and I'm wondering, although not implying, if that is having any impact on the food supply.

Lots of things we can't produce in UK, unless we have massive greenhouses using massive costly energy.

The EU will supply other EU members, quite naturally. And Morocco has a Trade Deal with EU so has to supply them first.
As said on other thread, they will only supply if they have too much for themselves and EU members. Factor in extra travel, transport issues, high cost of fuel, queues in Calais and massive waits in terrible conditions at times, red tape, etc... just not worthwhile.

Thanet Earth in Kent is one of the largest growers of salads and vegetables in Europe. Believe it has now closed due to expense of energy required.
This problem could have been avoided as government knew this was coming months ago but refused any help with energy required to run such a huge venture.

It's hardly a problem, though, is it? We grew up eating veg in season - so never had fresh tomatoes or cucumber in February. We've been spoilt.

I'm quite happy with cabbage/apple coleslaw, beets and grated carrots. The lambs lettuce and rainbow chard just keep on going in the garden.

Of course, for environmental reasons, there should be incentives to grow stuff here in the UK anyway.

We used to produce tomatoes in the Clyde valley. Lanarkshire and Ayrshire were famous until the 1960s when we joined the EU
The broken down glasshouses along with the remains of heavy industries were still evident unil recently.
We grumble each way. No tomatoes blamed on lack of migrant workers but the changes have not been sudden. It's a whole mixture of things. Our children don't want to be lowpaid workers and we don't want them to be.
We want it all ways and the future is more expensive food. You mark my words!

www.scotsman.com/whats-on/arts-and-entertainment/how-clyde-valley-was-once-fruit-basket-scotland-613747

silverlining48

Thanet Earth in Kent is one of the largest growers of salads and vegetables in Europe. Believe it has now closed due to expense of energy required.
This problem could have been avoided as government knew this was coming months ago but refused any help with energy required to run such a huge venture.

I don’t think it has closed- according to their website they are open today.

MawtheMerrier

I may have mused this but has nobody seen this coming as we have failed to pay our UK producers/farmers/growers a fair rate, preferring to screw the price down to a point where they have often been forced out of business and have turned instead to cheap imported produce which can undercut our home producers?
Cheap food at whatever cost has made us dependent on imports and as a country we can no longer feed ourselves.
Ask any dairy farmer, sheep farmer, even chicken farmer.

This, absolutely

I walked into town yesterday and my local shops are brimming over with fresh veg, including tomatoes, salad stuff and greens. No shortages here, maybe because no-one panic buys and most try and eat with the seasons. My latest organic box is a seasonal box and you can make a good variety of winter salads from that. Try massaging shredded green veg with a bit of lemon juice as a base

I also grow my own sprouted seeds, have done since the 70s. It is easy and they are so nice on sandwiches and salads

Hetty58

It's hardly a problem, though, is it? We grew up eating veg in season - so never had fresh tomatoes or cucumber in February. We've been spoilt.

I'm quite happy with cabbage/apple coleslaw, beets and grated carrots. The lambs lettuce and rainbow chard just keep on going in the garden.

Of course, for environmental reasons, there should be incentives to grow stuff here in the UK anyway.

I agree. I have been surprised by this thread; I had thought most people would buy seasonal vegetables and fruit. Growing out of season produce must be hugely damaging to the planet, not only from the artificial heat used, but also the transportation to the UK.

I would love it if we went back to eating seasonal produce grown in the UK, and having unseasonal imported produce as an occasional treat rather than a necessity.

I would also love it if imported produce could be taxed to make it more expensive than UK grown, and the proceeds used to support UK farmers.

Tomatoes are a luxury
Yes

Perhaps we'd be better to eat with the seasons.

Strawberries at Christmas anyone? 😂😂😂
Strawberries used to be something to look forward to in June.

MerylStreep

This is why the shelves are empty.
Greedy supermarkets won’t budge on price payed to the wholesaler.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/fruit-veg-shortage-grocer-explains-26305750

Yes.
I pointed out in my post that producers are going to sell to whoever pays the best price and food is more expensive in next-door France!

We could blame British supermarkets for refusing to pay a higher price and (some) British consumers who expect out-of-season fruit and vegetables at unsustainably low prices.

Who'd be a farmer!

silverlining48

Thanet Earth in Kent is one of the largest growers of salads and vegetables in Europe. Believe it has now closed due to expense of energy required.
This problem could have been avoided as government knew this was coming months ago but refused any help with energy required to run such a huge venture.

Yes, that too.