Farming Minister Mark Spencer has asked retailers to review how they work with farmers amid the current fruit and vegetable shortages across the UK.

In a Twitter thread yesterday (Monday, February 27), Spencer said he spoke to retailers to hear about the work they’re doing to respond to and alleviate the current “short-term issues with products like salad and tomatoes”.

“I have asked retailers to look again at how they work with our farmers and how they buy fruit and vegetables, to further build preparedness for these unexpected incidents,” he said.

“We also welcome their commitment to working with government and farmers on longer-term solutions,” he added.

Mark Spencer

Some supermarkets across England have introduced temporary limits on the amount of certain fruits and vegetables customers can buy due to sourcing challenges.

The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said these shortages are because “difficult weather conditions in the South of Europe and Northern Africa have disrupted harvest”.

This would have resulted is less produce available for export to the UK.

Despite these shortages, Spencer said: “Our food supply chain is extremely resilient, with retailers and farmers working hard to keep the nation fed.”

Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey told MPs last week that this “situation” is expected to last another two to four weeks. She also said the UK has a “highly resilient” food chain.

However, taking to Twitter today (Tuesday, February 28), Save British Food warned that more shortages should be expected, due to the home industry “collapsing”.

“It might be tomatoes now. But it’ll be apples this time next year,” the agriculture and food protection campaign group said.

ASDA BREXIT FOOD FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN FRUIT AND VEG MORRISONS VEGETABLES