Cold now threatens basic UK food supply

[Mark]

With potatoes in short supply as big freeze hits crops, the price of potatoes has risen by half.

“The rain, snow and ice this year has led to the lowest yielding and poorest quality crops since the drought of 1976,” says this article in the Telegraph.

One of the wettest winters and coldest springs on record has meant that crops of many vegetables are in short supply, and imports are replacing a lot of products normally home grown.

A 2.5kg (5½lb) bag of white potatoes has gone up an average of 43 per cent, from £1.35 this time last year to £1.93, and is likely to rise even further because of ­waterlogged ground.

Customers have also been told to expect higher prices on asparagus, broccoli, carrots, peas, tomatoes, seasonal British fruit – just about everything – because much of the planned crop was not planted or is being stunted by the lack of light.

For the first time in a decade, Britain is to become a net importer of wheat after 12 months of poor yields and poor planting conditions.

“Nothing grows in these temperatures — it’s the beginning of April and I cannot see a single leaf, which is incredibly rare,” said Graeme Beattie, managing director of Branston Potatoes.

“We were hoping to be able to catch up from the terrible season just gone, but with the snow and rain we’re having to delay planting for two weeks.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/agriculture/9976641/Potatoes-in-short-supply-as-big-freez e-hits-crops.html

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