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British shoppers are being warned they may face empty supermarket shelves within weeks due to rising energy and transport costs linked to the conflict involving Iran, which is putting significant pressure on fresh fruit and vegetable production.
Growers are warning that skyrocketing wholesale gas prices might force some producers to halt operations, raising concerns about potential shortages similar to those experienced early in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The Lea Valley Growers Association (LVGA), representing the UK’s largest cluster of glasshouse producers responsible for much of Britain’s cucumbers, tomatoes, aubergines, and sweet peppers, has issued this warning.
Lee Stiles, the association’s secretary, noted that growers are encountering pressures reminiscent of those that devastated production during the 2022 energy crisis. “Growers are in the same position now as they were when Russia invaded Ukraine, because wholesale gas prices are creeping up,” he said.
“With rising costs, many growers are considering sending their staff home, stopping for the season, and producing nothing. They will need to decide in the next few weeks whether it is economically viable to continue for the rest of the year.”
Glasshouse crops depend heavily on heating systems to maintain precise temperatures and humidity levels. If growers cannot afford to run their boilers, temperatures inside the glasshouses will drop, slowing plant growth or potentially killing crops entirely. This could lead to reduced yields and gaps in the supply of fresh salad vegetables to supermarkets across the UK.
Stiles emphasised that this situation mirrors what occurred in 2022 when energy costs surged following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. “Back in 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, we ended up with empty shelves in the supermarkets,” he stated. “Supermarkets agreed to a fixed price with growers last year. They can intervene now, if they wish, and agree to pay more for produce due to higher production costs. But it appears they are willing to face empty shelves again and reduced availability.”
Growers across the country are also voicing concerns. Rachael Williams from the West Sussex Growers Association reported that producers are increasingly anxious about the economic impact of the conflict. “I have spoken to our growers, and everyone is understandably worried,” she said. “They are concerned about what will happen, how the situation will develop, and the uncertainty surrounding it.
“It’s a fourfold issue: rising transportation costs, input costs, supply chain disruptions, and, of course, heating costs for the glasshouses.”
Transport costs are sharply increasing, too. Williams noted that the price of red diesel, used by agricultural machinery, has surged dramatically. “Red diesel has gone up by more than 50 per cent in just 10 days,” she said. “That’s significant for open field growers using tractors as well.”
Industry figures warn that unless energy costs stabilise or supermarkets agree to pay more for produce, growers could scale back production just as demand for fresh produce rises heading into the summer months.
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