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Is the UK sleep-walking into a food supply crisis?

Graham Watson

6th December 2022

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Here comes another supply-side shock - with the National Farmers Union reporting that higher feed, fertiliser and fuel costs are going to impact on the supply of energy intensive crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and pears likely to be at their lowest since 1985, when records began.

The government claims that the UK's food supply chain is resilient, but given that feed and fuel costs are up by 75% and fertiliser costs have tripled, it seems inevitable that there's going to be lower supply of these foodstuffs.

In related news ....

I've tweeted a lot about the shift to plant-based source of protein as an example of changing consumer tastes, and whilst there's been some shift, it's perhaps not been as much as might have been expected.

There are many reasons for this, but some think that coronavirus and the cost of living crisis might have seen some people trying lower quality alternatives to meat which might have put them off.

Please do read this BBC article

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Graham Watson

Graham Watson has taught Economics for over twenty years. He contributes to tutor2u, reads voraciously and is interested in all aspects of Teaching and Learning.