UK growers delay planting crops due to high energy prices, producers say.
The association said that while weather conditions in Spain and Morocco are the main reason behind the current shortages, the situation is being made worse by UK producers delaying planting crops this season.
"The majority of tomatoes, peppers and aubergines are not going to be around in big volumes until May, so it's going to be longer than a few weeks," said Lee Stiles, secretary of the LVGA. "Some Lea Valley pack houses have closed for a few days due to lack of deliveries, and others are losing workers as they could only offer three hours work a day instead of full shifts over the last few weeks.""If we planted tomatoes, peppers and aubergines in December, we would be picking now.
Many producers are growing less or have delayed planting, and 10% of members have left the sector altogether, he said."Half of our growers didn't grow last year, and half of our growers are not growing this year, and that's because they couldn't secure an increased price from the supermarkets to cover the increased cost of energy and fertiliser, and inputs that they needed in order to make a profit and make a living on the produce grown.
"They can simply get a better price in Europe for less hassle," he said. "The UK is such a small market for Spanish and Moroccan produce. Who are they going to look after first?"LVGA member Tony Montalbano runs his cucumber growing company, Green Acre Salads, from Roydon in Essex. "I looked at the prices I would get for my cucumbers and thought to myself, 'I can't see us making it this year'."
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