Rising costs could lead to food crisis, farmers warn

The National Farmers Union warned that if the government doesn't provide crucial support for British farmers struggling with the rising cost of fuel, fertilizer and feed, it could lead to a food supply crisis.

The union said that rising costs could lead to supply problems for energy-intensive crops such as tomatoes, cucumbers and pears, which are on track for their lowest yields since records began in 1985 and rationing at supermarkets as recently experienced with eggs.

The union said that milk prices were likely to fall below the cost of production and that beef farmers were considering reducing the number of cows being bred for slaughter because of surging costs.

The NFU said that despite the fact that input costs linked to the war in Ukraine and the pandemic were to blame, the cost of fuel and feed had gone up by about 75%, and the cost of fuel and feed increased by more than tripled the price of fertiliser since 2019. There are increased checks and red tape for importers linked to Brexit, and a six-fold increase in wholesale gas rices.

The union is calling for state support for farmers who have been forced out of business since the Covid outbreak, noting that the UK has lost about 7,000 agricultural businesses since 2019.

The NFU president, Minette Batters, told the BBC that shoppers up and down the country have had a guaranteed supply of high-quality affordable food, produced to some of the highest animal welfare, environmental and food safety standards in the world.

British food is under threat at a time when global volatility is threatening the stability of the world s food production, food security and energy security. She said that the country is sleepingwalking into more food supply crises, with the future of British fruit and vegetable supplies in trouble.

The union is urging the government to change a cap on seasonal overseas workers and introduce a food security target that would monitor and report domestic food production levels.

It is calling for an investigation into whether exceptional market conditions should be declared in light of the disruption to egg production, which has been exacerbated by the avian flu outbreak. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs would be able to provide support for egg farmers who are facing financial difficulties as a result of such a move.