Brexit could push up fruit and vegetable prices

Some of the claims made in relation to Brexit do seem to be exaggerated, particularly when one considers that we do not know what the final settlement will be (my best guess is that the EU and the UK will reach a deal and it will get through the House of Commons with the support of Labour dissidents).

However, this article suggests that higher fruit and vegetable prices could lead to a large number of early deaths: 5,600 deaths a year

Indeed, the article admits: 'Analysing the potential implications of Brexit is a tricky business. The concrete details of Brexit remain unclear. Proposals range from various forms of “soft Brexit” that include a new trade agreement with the EU, to a “hard Brexit” in which the UK falls back on the (higher) tariffs set out by the World Trade Organization.'

What is needed is for domestic policy to have a greater focus on growing fruit and vegetables, both for health reasons and to respond to the greater number of consumers who are vegetarians and vegans. That is lacking in current proposals.

Imperfect strawberries

British supermarkets have been increasing their willingness to sell fruit and vegetables that do not meet high cosmetic standards in terms of shape and presentation: Wonky veg

However, it has been the more upmarket supermarkets such as Waitrose and Sainsbury's who have been at the forefront of these developments. Hence, I was interested to find in Tesco today 'Perfectly imperfect strawberries' grown in Hereford, stated to be 'less than perfect, just as tasty.' The shapes weren't that odd and they were certainly just as tasty.

This has to be a win-win: food waste is reduced, consumers get a 'five a day' product at a very competitive price and growers are able to get a return on produce that would otherwise go unused.

All we need now is for the Government to get its act together and come up with a successor to the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme so that the fruit can be picked. Judging by the speed with which Michael Gove has fulfilled his pledge to do 'whatever it takes' to deal with the consequences of the summer drought, I wouldn't be too hopeful.

On the drought issue, read the NFU's views here: Failure to act

Fruit and vegetable production should get post Brexit boost

The Landworkers' Alliance has issued a report arguing that fruit and vegetable production should be boosted after Brexit: New deal for horticulture

It argues that directing more of the budget towards fruit and vegetables will deliver much of what Mr Gove wants in terms of health and sustainability.

However, it is already difficult to secure labour to pick such crops. Google searches by Romanian, Bulgarian and Polish citizens looking for agricultural jobs in the UK dropped by 34 per cent in the past year, according to a study by GK Strategy and OneFourZero.

The fall in interest from overseas has not been matched by an increase in searches from UK workers for UK farm jobs. Bulgaria saw the largest drop, with 2,000 fewer searches for UK jobs in January 2017 compared with the same time the year before.

The two companies said Google search data was a good early indicator of changing behaviour patterns because people increasingly looked online for job vacancies.

The UK agricultural sector already has a 29 per cent shortfall in seasonal workers. The Government has so far failed to introduce any kind of special scheme.

Migrant labour supply problem worsens

Growers of fruit and vegetables are reconsidering their investment plans as it becomes more difficult to recruit migrant labour from elsewhere in the EU. Some may relocate to eastern or central Europe: Pickers shortfall

According to a report in The Guardian: '“The perception from overseas is we are xenophobic, we’re racist, and the pound has plummeted too. We’ve gone with Brexit and that makes us look unfriendly.” Those are the words of John Hardman, director of Hops Labour Solutions, which supplies about 12,000 workers a year to food-growers. He reckons that when it comes to “food-picking jobs in agriculture – which means everything from strawberries to brussels sprouts”, there is currently a Brexit-related shortfall of about 20%, which chimes with recent surveys by the National Farmers Union.'