There has been a shortage of eggs on our supermarket shelves for months and now there are concerns about a national shortage of tomatoes. People have been posting pictures of empty shelves at several supermarkets across the UK. One shopper in Cardiff on Saturday night said she had been to three different supermarkets and couldn't find any.
The current tomato shortage in the UK is reportedly down to rising energy costs, with tomato growers struggling to afford to heat their greenhouses because of the expense, while adverse weather in Spain and Morocco – where most of our tomatoes come from – is affecting supplies. British Tomato Growers Association (BGTA) spokeswoman Julie Woolley told The Grocer: "Wholesale gas prices impact all growers and tomato availability is a global issue."
Dr Philip Morley, Horticulturalist and technical officer of the BTGA, also said inflation in other areas had hit tomato farmers hard, adding: “Rising fuel costs has meant transportation costs are now higher. Other input costs such as seeds, fertiliser, and feed have also increased between 100 and 400%. These are on top of the health checks on seeds entering the UK to rule out plant viruses that can affect crops. Those costs are also passed on to the grower."
