Britain is suffering a fresh produce shortage, with tomatoes temporarily out of stock in some supermarkets.
Shoppers have been dismayed to find empty shelves, and several supermarkets have introduced buying limits on certain items.
The UK’s Environment Secretary Therese Coffey told MPs on February 23 that the shortages were caused by “very unusual weather”.
She recommended a more seasonal approach to eating, which incorporated local harvests such as turnips.
However, the reasons for the tomato shortage are much more complex.
Here’s what you need to know.
Why is there a tomato shortage?
Brexit has been blamed for the shortage of fresh fruit and vegetable produce, but it’s not the main reason why there aren’t enough tomatoes.
Many UK growers are blaming the high cost of energy, with bad weather in Morocco and Spain another factor.
The majority of tomatoes grown in the UK are cultivated in enormous heated greenhouses that need a lot of energy.
Higher energy costs have been exacerbated by rising fertiliser costs, which have more than doubled since 2019.
The National Farmers’ Union says farming costs have increased by more than 50 per cent since 2019.
Many supermarkets have also been trying to keep their costs low because of the cost of living crisis, which has consequently led to extremely tight purchasing prices of farmers.
What areas have been affected by the shortage?
Many of the greenhouses in the Lea Valley in Hertfordshire — known as the UK’s “cucumber capital” — were empty this winter. This was because growers were not confident they would cover the cost of growing energy-intensive crops.
A lot of areas in the UK are still in drought — following last summer’s extremely hot weather — and many regions are only one dry spell away from crisis.
As such, supermarkets have increased their reliance on imports from Spain and Morocco.
The two nations made up 95 per cent of the UK’s tomato imports in the winter — but bad weather has now led to a decline, with harvests in both countries worse than expected.
Poor weather in the Channel has also affected imports, with many ferries carrying fresh produce cancelled and therefore affecting supply chains.
When will the situation be resolved?
The British Retail Consortium says it’s likely to be a few more weeks before shortages end, given how badly crops have been affected.
Retailers have stressed that buying limits are temporary until supplies improve.
The end of winter will see an increase in the harvest of seasonal fresh produce, which is expected to bring a return to normality.
