Your Christmas Day roasties could come from EGYPT: Heavy autumn rain leaves UK suffering worst potato yield ever leaving suppliers looking abroad
- Experts warn that supermarkets may have to take imports from countries as far Egypt due to the shortage
Heavy autumn rain has left UK farmers suffering the worst potato yield ever, leaving suppliers looking abroad and creating fears about stocks for this year’s Christmas dinners.
Experts warn that supermarkets may have to take imports from countries as far Egypt due to the shortage, ramping up the environmental impact of the traditional meals.
The magazine editor of the Fresh Produce Journal, Fred Searle, said potato planting had notably lowered and that the sector was facing ‘the lowest UK crop on record this season’, estimating that about ‘4.1m tonnes of potatoes would be harvested, 2m less than five or six years ago’.
Searle said that as well as rainy weather, the issue was caused by a lesser harvest on businesses ‘dropping out of the sector’ because of cost pressures worsened by years of unpredictable weather.
‘One producer said that in the last six years, there have been extreme weather events that have affected potato production,’ Searle told the Guardian. ‘If you cannot deliver a crop, then you cannot get the full returns on it.’
Experts warn that supermarkets may have to take imports from countries as far Egypt due to the shortage, ramping up the environmental impact of Christmas dinners (Stock Image)
A report from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit think-tank this week said the global climate crisis was responsible for helping to increase food bills up by more than £600 over the past two years in Britain.
Searle said climate change impacted domestic vegetable production and played a role in the need for more imported goods.
He said the poor UK potato crop could lead to gaps on shelves in certain areas and tighter supply in general due to the rainy weather. He said he was not able to say that there won’t be any potatoes but there may be an increase in imports because of the shortage.
An expert said potato planting had notably lowered and the sector was facing ‘the lowest UK crop on record this season’, estimating that about ‘4.1m tonnes of potatoes would be harvested, 2m less than five or six years ago’ (File Photo)
The UK rarely imports potatoes, but if shortages ramp up prices there is a high chance that suppliers will look to Egypt and Israel for produce.
Searle said the rise in farmers’ costs – including increased fertiliser costs, affected by the energy crisis and conflict in Ukraine, and higher labour bills – has also meant that less potatoes are being planted to start with with.
Crops of Christmas staples cauliflower and broccoli have also been impacted by the weather.
Searle said that some of the biggest UK broccoli producers have said there will be a shortage at Christmas.
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