Cost of fruit and veg soars after rain hits Spain
This is an orange, in case you never see one again!
Imports which usually line the fresh produce aisles before the UK growing season have been badly hit by the rain which caused floods in southern Spain last month.
Shortages have ramped up the price of many greens usually popular with families at this time of year, according to food industry magazine The Grocer.
Higher food bills will come as a blow to families who are already paying more for favourites such as carrots and cauliflowers after British crops suffered in the cold winter weather.
“Persistent bad weather in Spain has sent the price of much fresh produce in UK supermarkets soaring,” said The Grocer. “Heavy rain in the key Spanish growing region of Andalucia has wiped out large swathes of crops, leaving exports in short supply.”
The pound’s weakness against the euro and the dollar is also pushing up the cost of imported food.
Oranges cost 25 per cent more than a year ago, says the magazine, avocados are up by 17 per cent and cherry tomatoes are 10 per cent more expensive.
Supplies of strawberries, raspberries, lettuces and spinach have all been severely disrupted because of the downpours.
One leading fresh food supplier said: “They’ve had four times the rainfall of an average year in the last two months alone.” Britain imports goods worth about £20billion from Spain every year, including fresh fruit and vegetables.
Experts predict that prices will remain at their current high levels until cheaper, British-grown alternatives become available.
