LONDON-A shortage of some fruits and vegetables in the United Kingdom that has prompted rationing at most major supermarkets could last until May, according to one of the country’s biggest groups of food producers.
The Lea Valley Growers Association (LVGA) told CNN Friday that UK growers were not harvesting tomatoes, peppers and eggplants at this time of year, as is usually the case, because high energy costs this winter had delayed planting. “We should be picking tomatoes, peppers and aubergines now. However, they will be ready in May as we have only just planted them instead of last December,” Lee Stiles, LGVA secretary, told CNN. “Food production has to be planned months in advance, it is not like a factory that can be turned on and off at will.” The group represents 80 growers across the United Kingdom’s southeast, a key growing region.
LGVA members produce about three-quarters of the country’s cucumbers and sweet peppers, and about a fifth of its eggplants each year.
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Four of the biggest supermarkets in the United Kingdom said earlier this week that they were imposing purchase limits on some staple items, including tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. This includes Tesco (TSCDF), the UK’s largest supermarket chain, which has temporarily capped the number of packs of these products to three per customer.