- British fruit and vegetable growers are warning that supermarket shelves could soon be empty due to soaring energy and transportation costs from the Iran war, making their operations unsustainable.
- Industry leaders fear many producers may be forced to end their season early, as rising wholesale gas prices and other input costs make continued production uneconomical.
- The inability to afford heating for glasshouses would halt crop growth, leading to significantly reduced yields, reminiscent of shortages seen in 2022 when Russia invaded Ukraine.
- Growers are urging retailers to intervene by agreeing to pay more for produce to cover increased production costs, rather than facing reduced availability.
- The crisis extends beyond energy, with red diesel prices for open-field growers increasing by over 50 per cent in just 10 days, alongside other supply chain disruptions.
IN FULL
