UK: British open field growers are not succumbing to pressure to supply the market

Vegetables

United Kingdom

Sustainability & Environmental Impact

Market & Price Trends

Published Dec 6, 2023

Tridge summary

British open field growers have been facing a problematic season with delayed potato harvests and a poor start for brassicas like cauliflower and Brussels sprouts. The CEO of the British Growers Association, Jack Ward, attributes these challenges to the impact of climate change on the food supply chain in the UK and Europe. Additionally, discounts before Christmas could lead to growers harvesting more to meet demand, potentially causing shortages in February and March.

Disclaimer: The above summary was generated by a state-of-the-art LLM model and is intended for informational purposes only. It is recommended that readers refer to the original article for more context.

Original content

It has been a problematic season for British open field growers. Potatoes that should have been harvested weeks ago are still in the ground. And brassicas such as cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and white cabbage had a very poor start to the season with wet weather in July at planting time, which is in stark contrast to 2022 when it was very hot with up to 40ºC in some places. “The weather in Spain has also not been ideal, which combined with an early end to the British summer brassica season due to heavy rain, has left a gap in supply,” said Jack Ward, CEO of the British Growers Association. “This is the direct impact of climate change on the food supply chain, not just in the UK, but in Europe and further afield.” According to Jack, the growers have been supplying the market during the Christmas period for many years and are therefore very adept at dealing with the pressure. “What doesn't help are the discounts in the run-up to Christmas to stimulate purchases. Because they put ...

Source: AGF