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Post by mysty on Feb 22, 2023 15:54:23 GMT 1
There are some very funny comments on twitter and FB as regading how bad the weather has been throughout the world which has meant there is no fruit and veg available, not a huge issue for me as im alergic to veg I cannot say I have seen any empty veg or fruit shelfs in any supermarket in France. Brits in Spain apparently have no shortages either. Might just be brexit that has caused the issues. On Sunday some right wing nut job was blaming remainers for the shortages as they have not embraced Brexit. The poor British farmers who wanted brexit blame brexit for the shortages, see below. Until the newspapers start reporting the truth you will be stuck with the likes of Boris and Nigel. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/food-shortages-supermarket-rationing-uk-b2287357.html
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Post by jackie on Feb 22, 2023 16:46:05 GMT 1
I thought most salad crops in winter were grown under cover in Spain and Morocco so not affected by the weather? Even if they were it’s hardly surprising that with EU grown crops, EU countries get first dibs.
Also British greenhouse growers haven’t been able to afford to heat their greenhouses.
I remember when I were a lass there were no tomatoes, cucumbers etc in the shops in winter. Salads were made with raw winter veg eg coleslaw. Remember making winter salad in cookery class at school.
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Nifty
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Post by Nifty on Feb 22, 2023 17:13:54 GMT 1
There is a lot of flooding in NZ. Landslides are causing sever problems.
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Aardvark
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Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
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Post by Aardvark on Feb 22, 2023 17:14:04 GMT 1
The other day on LBC radio the topic was discussed and thoroughly nailed. A wholesaler at Nine Elms (New Covent Garden Market) explained how it was only indirectly affected by Brexit. When there is plenty of produce about, it makes sense to sell to the UK that won't pay a decent price. When bad weather causes a shortage they are naturally going to sell it within Europe as a priority where they get a better price.
UK farmers are being squeezed out of the loop because the supermarkets won't pay enough to give the farmers a decent living and now that farmers are not receiving the subsidies they used to get from Brussels they are scaling down or quitting altogether. Bottom line appears to be that until UK shoppers are prepared to pay more for their food there will be wide fluctuations in supply and price.
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Le-Dolly
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Post by Le-Dolly on Feb 22, 2023 17:23:37 GMT 1
I thought most salad crops in winter were grown under cover in Spain and Morocco so not affected by the weather? Even if they were it’s hardly surprising that with EU grown crops, EU countries get first dibs. Also British greenhouse growers haven’t been able to afford to heat their greenhouses. I remember when I were a lass there were no tomatoes, cucumbers etc in the shops in winter. Salads were made with raw winter veg eg coleslaw. Remember making winter salad in cookery class at school. I cannot speak about Spain, but the weather in Morocco this last winter has been variably unpleasant and not conducive to good growing.
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JohnnyD
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Mayenne (53) When Covid allows..........Which isn't very often these days........
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Post by JohnnyD on Feb 22, 2023 17:31:21 GMT 1
The shops are empty here of veg like the above mentioned and more, and the press are saying its like that all over Europe, lying to us all still, just as long as they never print, IT'S BECAUSE OF BREXIT, I asked people in our village in France, and the shops are still full of all of the above as they usually are, Hook Line and Sinker we've been done...... Even Northern Ireland is not being affected.........
I managed to get Potatoes and onions and garlic today.......
We are back out to France in 2 weeks
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Le-Dolly
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Post by Le-Dolly on Feb 22, 2023 18:06:28 GMT 1
The shops are empty here of veg like the above mentioned and more, and the press are saying its like that all over Europe, lying to us all still, just as long as they never print, IT'S BECAUSE OF BREXIT, I asked people in our village in France, and the shops are still full of all of the above as they usually are, Hook Line and Sinker we've been done...... Even Northern Ireland is not being affected......... I managed to get Potatoes and onions and garlic today....... We are back out to France in 2 weeks That has the beginnings of a good soup.
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exile
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Post by exile on Feb 22, 2023 18:16:27 GMT 1
Much though we all want to blame Brexit, I do not believe the problem is there. Nor do I think it is the EU looking after its own. Traders will sell to whomsoever pays the best price.
Morocco has suffered abnormally large snowfall and Southern Spain has also suffered bad weather, so there is less out-of-season vegetables available in Norther Europe. But is is available - unlike it seems in the UK. The prices here have gone up a great deal however. Small boxes of cherry toms were 99c a few weeks ago and are now 2.99€. There I think lies the problem. UK supermarket purchasing managers are just not prepared to pay the price required. No doubt their year end bonuses demand that they keep purchase prices below set levels and they are not prepared to lose their extra cash just to keep the customer happy.
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JohnnyD
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Post by JohnnyD on Feb 22, 2023 18:47:01 GMT 1
Ex Sainsbury's chief blames veg shortages on 'Brexit and energy costs’
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exile
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Post by exile on Feb 22, 2023 19:47:00 GMT 1
I saw nothing in that article that can be laid at the doors of Brexit. Where the criticism comes is from a lack of government action or support post Brexit - but that is not Brexit per-se that is the problem. It is the government that is the problem.
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Aardvark
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Living in soggy 22 and still wondering what's going on.
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Post by Aardvark on Feb 22, 2023 19:49:31 GMT 1
Difficult to separate the two.
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Post by mysty on Feb 22, 2023 20:37:53 GMT 1
I thought most salad crops in winter were grown under cover in Spain and Morocco so not affected by the weather? Even if they were it’s hardly surprising that with EU grown crops, EU countries get first dibs. Also British greenhouse growers haven’t been able to afford to heat their greenhouses. I remember when I were a lass there were no tomatoes, cucumbers etc in the shops in winter. Salads were made with raw winter veg eg coleslaw. Remember making winter salad in cookery class at school. I cannot ever remember where I bought a set of ladders a few years ago when someone asked where I got them.
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Post by mysty on Feb 22, 2023 20:42:58 GMT 1
I saw nothing in that article that can be laid at the doors of Brexit. Where the criticism comes is from a lack of government action or support post Brexit - but that is not Brexit per-se that is the problem. It is the government that is the problem. Jose the orange grower in Spain cannot just chuck the boxes of oranges in the back of his trunk and head to dover. Lots of forums to fill out and then has to sit in customs lines and then pedro from Portugal with his famous smoked fish the last time he tried to get into the UK his papers were not in order. Even when they get in getting out is even harder.
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Post by mysty on Feb 22, 2023 20:56:35 GMT 1
exile is right it has everything to do with Brexit.  it is worth a read.
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exile
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Post by exile on Feb 22, 2023 22:50:27 GMT 1
I saw nothing in that article that can be laid at the doors of Brexit. Where the criticism comes is from a lack of government action or support post Brexit - but that is not Brexit per-se that is the problem. It is the government that is the problem. Jose the orange grower in Spain cannot just chuck the boxes of oranges in the back of his trunk and head to dover. Lots of forums to fill out and then has to sit in customs lines and then pedro from Portugal with his famous smoked fish the last time he tried to get into the UK his papers were not in order. Even when they get in getting out is even harder. That argument would be so much stronger if there had been shortages for the last couple of years: but there haven't.
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