Tomato shortages

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Why is there a tomato shortage as UK supermarket shelves left bare?

If you’ve popped to the supermarket lately, you may have noticed a distinct lack of tomatoes on shelves.

Or if you do your food shopping online, you may have clocked a fair few ‘out of stock’ notes by packs of the product.

Naturally, this leads to a particular question: why the tomato shortage?

Here, we explain why there’s a lack of tomatoes at the moment, and why it may last for a while longer.

Why is there a tomato shortage in the UK?

Tomatoes are in short supply right now due to the weather in Spain and Morocco.

Some 400,000 tonnes of tomatoes are imported from other countries, according to the British Tomato Growers’ Association (BTGA) – mainly the Netherlands, Spain and Morocco.

Spain and Morocco are key tomato exporters for the UK during the winter months.

But southern Europe and northern Africa have experienced a cold snap, heavy rainfall and even floods lately, which has impacted the ability for tomatoes to ripen and affected the harvest.

Cancelled ferries in Morocco have also played a role in slowing the supply chain, reports the BBC.

It might be a little while before the issue is fully resolved, too, with more adverse weather expected.

One Morrisons supermarket put up a sign informing customers that ‘the current shortage is likely to improve within a couple of weeks’.

The director of food at the British Retail Consortium (BRC), Andrew Opie, called the current weather conditions ‘difficult’.

He said: ‘Difficult weather conditions in the south of Europe and northern Africa have disrupted harvest for some fruit and vegetables including tomatoes.

‘However, retailers are adept at managing supply chain issues and are working with farmers to ensure that customers are able to access a wide range of fresh produce.’

Back in December 2022, the National Farmers Union (NFU) warned about a UK tomato shortage.

NFU president Minette Batters said: ‘I fear the country is sleepwalking into further food supply crises, with the future of British fruit and vegetable supplies in trouble.’

You might be wondering if the UK grows its own tomatoes – and it does, the BTGA says.

Around 100,000 tonnes (or one fifth) of tomatoes eaten here are typically from British growers, the organisation says – despite various challenges over recent years including rising energy costs.

Source: https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/21/why-is-there-a-tomato-shortage-as-uk-supermarket-shelves-left-bare-18320430/

[rebbonk]

Could it get worse...?

A variety of British vegetables, from tomatoes to cauliflower, risk being rationed this year as farmers struggle to meet rising energy costs, the head of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) has warned.

Minette Batters, president of the England and Wales industry group, said the production of some British vegetables grown in heated, covered buildings, such as tomatoes and cucumbers, was already falling.

We are going into "uncertain times" Ms Batters said in an interview in Birmingham on Tuesday.

"Everybody wants to avoid rationing, effectively, which is what we saw with eggs in December."

"But I think there are going to be challenges on availability of some food items," including tomatoes, peppers and other salad vegetables grown indoors.

"Field veg" such as potatoes, cauliflower and purple sprouting broccoli could also be impacted, she said.

Ms Batters stressed that the "last thing anybody wants to do is to create a level of panic buying" and was hopeful rationing could be averted.

This would require government to extend support via the Energy and Trade Intensive Industries scheme to horticulture and poultry, some of farming's most energy-dependent sectors, which are currently excluded, as an existing support scheme comes to an end in April.

She later warned in her speech to the NFU conference that "the clock is ticking" for the government to act.

"The real danger here is that unless we can give farmers and growers the confidence to keep investing, they're producing less. That will drive further cost inflation for consumers. That's what we want to avoid," she told Sky News.

"This is, of course, all driven by the price of gas, which has come down, but is still three times higher than it was in 2019," she added.

The government today announced at the conference £168 million in grants for farmers, focussed on new technology and innovation, such as robotics or cow mattresses to tackle lameness, to improve animal welfare and productivity.

Labour shortages, animal feed increases, inflation and supply chain disruption from the war in Ukraine are also challenging, Ms Batters said, as is adjusting to Brexit changes.

Her warning comes as the British Retail Consortium (BRC) warned that tomatoes were running low in supermarkets including Tesco and Sainsbury's due to "difficult weather conditions" in the south of Europe and northern Africa.

In winter, Britain has typically imported around 90% of crops like cucumbers and tomatoes, but has been nearly
self-sufficient in the summer.

Ms Batters urged retailers to be "sympathetic to renegotiating contracts" with farmers "while we've got this extreme volatility".

As well as costs, water security is also a "massive issue," for farming, she said. Last summer's record heat and a prolonged drought, fuelled by climate change, reduced yields for crops like potatoes and barley.

We are "lucky" in the UK with a temperate climate, she said. But with extreme drought in agricultural areas like Portugal and Italy last year, and Italy already bracing for another year of drought, "globally, water security is becoming a massive issue".

"That's an even greater need for us to take all self-sufficiency seriously and be producing more of our fruit and vegetables here, which has been the ambition that we have held for a long time," she said.

Source: https://news.sky.com/story/danger-of-tomato-cucumber-and-other-vegetable-rationing-nfu-president-warns-12816318

[dutchman]

I haven't noticed any shortage of the tinned variety.

[rebbonk]

I haven't noticed any shortage of the tinned variety.

Back to eating 'seasonable' produce. Shame many don't know what this is.

[dutchman]

Asda and Morrisons ration some fresh produce including tomatoes and peppers



Asda and Morrisons are bringing in rationing of salad items including tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers amid shortages caused by poor weather in southern Europe and north Africa.

Asda said it was limiting shoppers to three items each on eight fresh produce lines – including broccoli, cauliflower, raspberries and lettuces – to ensure all customers can get what they need.

Morrisons is putting limits of two per item on tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and peppers from Wednesday. A spokesperson said: “Like other supermarkets, we are experiencing sourcing challenges on some products that are grown in southern Spain and north Africa.

“We have introduced a temporary limit of three of each product on a very small number of fruit and vegetable lines, so customers can pick up the products they are looking for.”

Asda’s move comes after importers said supplies of salad and field crops had been affected by a mixture of unseasonable weather in Spain and southern Europe and storms in the Mediterranean combined with a reduction in the amount of crops planted in heated glasshouses in the Netherlands as energy bills have soared.

Industry insiders said availability of produce is down by between 30% and 40% on some crops, with the pepper harvest down 70% in Spain according to the catering supplier Reynolds. Wholesale prices have also shot up to three times normal levels in some cases, adding to inflation in stores as well as empty shelves.

At this time of year Murcia in southeastern Spain produces an estimated 80% of many salad and vegetable crops sold in the UK. Production in Britain does not usually begin until late March or April.

Italy, Morocco and elsewhere in north Africa are often used as an alternative sources of supply, but these areas have also had cold weather in recent weeks, and shipments from Morocco have also been held up by storms.

Andrew Opie, the director of food and sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, said disruption on fruit and vegetables coming from southern Europe and north Africa was expected to last a few weeks.

However, he added: “Supermarkets are adept at managing supply chain issues and are working with farmers to ensure that customers are able to access a wide range of fresh produce.”

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Eat turnips instead of tomatoes during shortages, Therese Coffey suggests



Shoppers should consider eating turnips as a shortage of fruit and vegetables leaves supermarket shelves bare, a minister has suggested.

Therese Coffey, the Environment Secretary, said people "would be eating turnips right now" if the UK was more focused on seasonal eating.

She was responding to an urgent question in the House of Commons on ongoing food shortages of some items including tomatoes.

Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Morrisons are rationing the number of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and other fresh food that people can buy.

Tory MP Selaine Saxby said that "we should be eating more seasonally and supporting our own British farmers" and "if we were actually to move to a seasonal line of eating, many of these problems would be avoided".

Ms Coffey replied: "It's important to make sure that we cherish the specialisms that we have in this country.

"A lot of people would be eating turnips right now rather than thinking necessarily about aspects of lettuce and tomatoes and similar, but I’m conscious that consumers want a year-round choice and that is what our supermarkets, food producers and growers around the world try to satisfy."

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The woman is thicker than pig sh*t, and twice as dense!

Therese Coffey tells people to work more hours to buy food
The Environment Secretary has been accused of having ‘shifted blame for food poverty on to people because they are on low wages and are poor’

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey has been criticised for suggesting people struggling to afford their food bills could consider working more hours.

Labour MP Rachael Maskell was heard saying “that’s appalling” as Coffey replied to her concerns about food banks in York running out of stock.

Coffey noted inflation is “really tough at the moment” and outlined support schemes in place.

She also said “one of the best ways” for people to boost their incomes is by either getting into work if they are unemployed or “potentially to work some more hours” or “get upskilled” in a bid to secure a higher wage.

“Work more hours”

Speaking after the exchanges in the Commons, Maskell told the PA news agency: “With food prices going up 16.8 per cent over the last year, the Secretary of State said that people needed to work more hours to pay for their food.

“It is shocking that the Environment Secretary shifted blame for food poverty onto people because they are on low wages and are poor, expecting them to work even more hours to put food on the table.

“People are going hungry, often limiting themselves to one small meal a day or missing food altogether. It is time her Government supported families in need, not making them work harder for a crust.”

Food banks running out

During environment, food and rural affairs questions, York Central MP Maskell earlier said: “With the ONS (Office for National Statistics) highlighting a 16.8% increase in food prices in the year to January, the Government has built its food poverty infrastructure with dependency on voluntary donations and retail waste donations.

“However, due to demand, food banks in York are running out, eking out food supplies.”

Maskell said she is holding a donation day to help bring in supplies and distribute to those in need, adding: “We call it York Together as we support one another.

“However, what is the Government doing to ensure that no-one goes without?”

“Boost their incomes”

Coffey replied: “(Ms Maskell) is right to praise the initiative in York with her constituents and I think that’s very welcome. It is an element of what also can be done locally.

“But we talk about aspects of food pricing. Inflation is really tough at the moment, there’s no doubt about that, and I’m conscious, though, that we still have a situation where generally across Europe we have one of the lowest proportion of our incomes being spent on food. Supermarkets have been very competitive.

“But I do want to encourage her to also work in supporting the household support fund that is intended to go to people particularly in need.

“But of course we do know that one of the best ways to boost their incomes is not only to get into work if they’re not in work already, but potentially to work some more hours, to get upskilled, to get a higher income.

“But of course the local welfare grant that was given some time ago now by central government to local councils is there for them to use as well.”

Source: https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/therese-coffey-tells-people-to-work-more-hours-to-buy-food-344076/

[dutchman]

Tesco Coventry Arena Park ration sale of veg with limits on some foods



A ration on some foods is in force at the Coventry Tesco Arena store. This afternoon (Thursday, February 23), some shelves were empty where tomatoes would have ordinarily been on sale.

Green plastic carriers were upturned alongside cardboard boxes where the produce would have been. White signs said: "Sorry, due to adverse weather conditions, these products are out of stock."

There was one front aisle where just a few dozen tomatoes were available. However, there were limits on how many customers could buy with a sign which read: "So that everyone can get what they need. We're limiting these products to 3 per customer."

esco nationwide became the latest supermarket to introduce limits on sales of certain fruit and vegetables due to shortages of fresh produce. It came after Asda, Aldi and Morrisons, brought in similar limits.

But Lidl, Sainsbury's, Waitrose and M&S have yet to impose any limits on shoppers. Yet Brits have been questioning the official explanation - saying that shops in Europe did not seem to be facing the same issues.

Mick Hucknall from 80/90s pop band Simply Red sparked a debate when he asked followers on Twitter to show him what shelves were like in European supermarkets. He was flooded with replies.

One person tweeted: "Shelves brimming here in Italy this morning". Another said: "Certainly no shortage of produce in Southern Spain due to 'bad weather' (eh??) Have travelled extensively over the last 5 weeks between Alicante and Almeria. All supermarkets (have shopped most days in Mercadona, Consum, Carrefour etc) crammed with fresh fruit and veg."

A third posted a photo of full shelves and said: "Taken in my local Billa store 15 mins ago. Also spoke to manager... NO SUPPLY ISSUES on fruit & veg."

Yet the UK government has said that one of the main reasons behind the shortages are due to extreme weather in Spain and north Africa, which has affected crops. They say that much of the vegetables and fruit consumed in the UK at his time of year come from these areas.

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Coventry market stall holders gaining more business due to fruit and veg shortages in supermarkets



Fruit and vegetable shortages due to extreme weather around the world have affected supermarkets in the UK. But for David Betts, who runs DA Betts greengrocer, the shortages have meant a thriving stall in the heart of Coventry.

David, 51, from Corley Moor in North Warwickshire, said there have been shortages but he is getting stuff through growers in the Cotswolds, which means fresh fruit and vegetables at his stall for all of his loyal customers.

''You have got to remember, that if people aren't using the supermarkets they are coming to us. So it's a difficult one.

"We are really busy here, people will always use markets, we serve a lot of foreign students or people who have come from abroad to live here. It's in their DNA, they like using markets.

"The supermarkets have got stuff but not in the quantities that they would like. If they have their way they would have 99% of the stuff.

He added: "There are certain things at the moment which are not available at the stall such as cauliflower due to the weather conditions.

''Unfortunately, we are never going to be the first choice if we don't pay the rates they are going to get in other places. The situation is to heat stuff is costing a lot more all through Europe and that's why they didn't actually grow so much to start with," says David.

[rebbonk]

There really is no end to the stupidity of our politicians, maybe they should just keep their mouths shut...?

Supermarket runs out of turnips after Government tells Brits to eat them amid veg shortage

Environment Secretary, Therese Coffey suggested that the root vegetable Turnips would be a suitable alternative while other fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes and peppers were in short supply

Supermarkets in the UK have run out of turnips after the Government urged shoppers to buy them amid food shortages in stores.

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey suggested the root veg would be a suitable alternative while others remain in short supply.

Hours after the MP spoke in the House of Commons, turnips were out of stock on Tesco's website.

Other supermarkets such as Co-op, Asda and Morrisons did not list turnips at all when searched for on their websites.

Shoppers instead were offered swede, a similar root vegetable from Sweden.

It comes as UK supermarkets impose rations on fresh fruit and veg products as it faces shortages due to bad weather in Morrocco and Spain and high energy costs.

These two countries are some of the UK's biggest importers of fruit and vegetables during the winter months.

British farmers are also struggling to power their greenhouses which are used to grow specific crops during the colder months.

Currently, four UK supermarkets have buying limits imposed on certain items.

Morrisons, Aldi and Tesco are putting limits of two per item and Asda limiting shoppers to three items.

Peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes are the most common item being rationed right now, with Asda adding limits to lettuce, salad bags, broccoli, cauliflower, and raspberries.

The environment secretary told MPs that the issue of shortages would last for another two to four weeks.

She then told MPs: Ms Coffey replied: "It's important to make sure that we cherish the specialisms that we have in this country.

"A lot of people would be eating turnips right now rather than thinking necessarily about aspects of lettuce, and tomatoes and similar but I'm conscious that consumers want a year-round choice and that is what our supermarkets, food producers and growers around the world try to satisfy."

However, the secretary of the Lea Valley Growers Association (LVGA) warned “it's going to be longer than a few weeks”.

Speaking to the BBC he said: "The majority of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines are not going to be around in big volumes until May.”

The Government was accused of having "no urgent plan" to fix the current shortages by Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine saying people were "rightly alarmed" by the chronic shortages the UK is facing.

Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/supermarkets-run-out-turnips-after-29303228

You really can't cure stupid.