Shoppers are being warned to anticipate a shortfall in broccoli and cauliflower supplies at supermarkets, which experts attribute to less than ideal growing conditions this autumn and winter.
Industry professionals cautioned that the mild weather during recent months led to premature flowering of crops, while spells of heavy rain have further compromised cauliflower yields, causing farmers to lose important batches.
This could not only slow down supply chains but also push prices upward.
Hannah Croft, from organic vegetable purveyor Riverford, expressed concerns to the Guardian: “Our Spanish suppliers, who grow much of our winter broccoli, have faced setbacks due to heavy autumn rain, which caused quality issues and delayed planting for spring crops. This has pushed harvest schedules forward, meaning there’s a possibility of a gap in late spring.”
Meanwhile, Express reports that weather specialists predict such crop shortages might become more commonplace as climate change affects the UK’s environment. Dr John David, RHS head of horticultural taxonomy, remarked that global warming is already triggering plants to flower earlier.
Guy Barter, chief horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society, observed a similar trend with his own crops. His winter cauliflower, usually expected to bloom in April, was found to have matured by early January, reports the Daily Record.
Dr John David, the head of horticultural taxonomy at RHS, has stated that plants are blooming earlier due to global warming. Guy Barter, the Chief Horticulturalist at the Royal Horticultural Society, experienced this first-hand in his own allotment.
He found that his winter cauliflower, which was anticipated to flower in April, had already fully matured by the first week of January.
(Image: Getty)
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