UK fruit and veg shortages and large-scale distribution in trouble– The number of UK supermarket chains forced to deal with shortages of vegetables traditionally imported to the island in winter rises to 4 North Africa or from South Spain with temporary forms of rationing. After the announcement of the past few days by Asda, Morrisons and Tescocame to today Lidlleader of Low-cost large-scale distributionto which she has decided to confine herself The quantity of products that can be purchased is three packs per customer: limited to Tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Limits were also triggered for Lettuce, lettuces, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberries. These are the rationed and least available products at the moment.
The empty shelves alarm, although limited to some vegetables and much less present in small shops or markets, has re-proposed situations that had already occurred in the recent past: and then at least partially as indicated Consequence of trade barriers after Brexit. But in reality, according to the analysis of some experts, spokesmen for trade associations and media outlets such as the BBC, the problem has to do with that scarce availability upstream in the producing countries caused by irregular climate phenomena and exceptionally bad weather Hit on crops this season. On the other hand, the British government has also stated that bad weather in Africa and Europe is causing the fruit and vegetable distribution chain to explode. But there are other factors that contribute to the “shortages.”
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climate and energy costs
In fact, it seems more like a combination of factors that together cause the phenomenon of empty shelves in supermarkets. You really can’t ignore that the impact of high electricity prices on products grown in greenhouses in the UK and the Netherlands.
The Asda chain has limited sales to three per customer Salads, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and raspberriesas well as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. Morrisons Set a limit of two for cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, and peppers. Former Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King told the BBC that limits were put in place to prevent other retailers from buying the stock: “Even greengrocers in the High Street, when they can’t get supplies from wholesalers, are starting to to buy on the supermarket shelves.
Why this lack?
According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the UK imports around 95% of tomatoes and 90% of lettuce during the winter months, mainly from Spain and North Africa. But weather disrupted plans: Southern Spain suffered from unusually cold weather and harvests in Morocco were affected by flooding, while storms caused ferry delays or cancellations. The phenomenon of scarcity has hit the first link in the chain in Africa. earlier this month, Morocco has blocked exports of tomatoes, onions and potatoes to West African countriesIn an attempt to Protect exports to Europe.
However, the vegetables and fruit available in the UK are also locally grown and sourced in the Netherlands. But even these are not enough to supply supermarkets, as farmers in both countries have been doing Reducing the use of greenhouses for winter crops due to rising electricity prices. And so it turns out that three quarters of UK cucumber and pepper crops have been delayed in planting due to high energy costs.
The National Farmers Union has called for more support for UK farmers, complaining that the sector has not been included in the government’s support scheme for energy-intensive industries. Farmers’ unions are forecasting bleak prospects, saying the shortages could continue into May.
But does Brexit have anything to do with it, yes or no?
The narrative is that the UK referendum to leave Europe is the main reason for the shortages, but problems have also been reported from Ireland, which is part of the EU. Brexit and the associated trade barriers for the exchange of goods therefore do not appear to be a decisive factor. Brexit is having an impact on the fresh produce sector as workers from EU countries need to be hired. But this problem is also solved by the new permit system for seasonal workers.
Ksenija Simovic, senior policy adviser at Copa-Cogeca, a group representing farmers and agri-cooperatives in the EU, told the BBC Brexit isn’t the main reason, but it hasn’t helped. Why? Because European companies benefit both from the proximity to the places where the products are grown and from simpler and better coordinated supply chains. Simovic therefore comes to a fairly clear conclusion: In the event of supply shortages, the available products are more likely to remain in the internal market.
“It’s cheaper for a supplier to shop in the Netherlands and other northern countries because they don’t have to negotiate the 25-mile English Channel, which involves additional costs,” he told Euronews. Chris White, Director of Fruit Net, who explained that dealing with the extra costs and bureaucracy that Brexit will bring to getting fresh fruit and vegetables across the Channel is clearly a good practice overpriced for some producers, which is why the tomatoes reach supermarkets in France, Belgium or the Netherlands, but not in the UK.
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