shortage of fresh vegetables in supermarkets

[Munkul]

Seems like its been a good few weeks since we've had peppers and other perishable vegs in any of our supermarkets.

Surely this can't be the only reason?

Spanish strikes cause fruit and veg shortages in UK supermarkets

Spain has been rocked by industrial action from lorry drivers over past two weeks due to rising fuel costs

www.thegrocer.co.uk

 

[Richiew]

I buy peppers every week. Aldi don't seem to have problem getting them in.

 

[nickk]

Lorries parked on the M20.

 

[DAPPH]

Try shopping Tuesday mornings to Thursday evening , ( avoiding school & lunch runs ) as this appears to be the stock up periods that replenish the long week end scavengers steals . Since we changed our shopping times to this regime it's rare for us to not find what we are after . End of month last day & first day of new month when money goes in the bank is also best avoided . so are two days before a bank holiday and one or two after .

There are loads of South African fruit & veg in Aldi & Lidl ... eat what is in season and available ?

 

[Munkul]

I buy peppers every week. Aldi don't seem to have problem getting them in.

We do as well... until this last few weeks. None in Sainsburys, Morrisons, Aldi in Penrith. At all and i paid a little bit more attention last night. There are lettuces and pre-bagged salads, but a LOT of the fruit/veg section is totally empty and a notice saying "supply chain problems"

 

[gaz1]

the problem is we hardly supply the english chain with food

most has always been imported for cheaper prices out pricing our own markets so we no longer produce at high rate

factor in covid and you havent got the pickers either here or abroad

hey someones got to pick it, check it and pack it

 

[Richiew]

I think we are better served transport-wise on our side of the Pennines compared to you Munkul.

Or you lot eat healthier...

 

[johnik]

not just fruit n veg, my local Lidl has lots of empty shelves, no dog food for about 3 weeks now, as my dog was getting a bit thin i decided to visit Ald, all shelves fully stocked on both times i visited, seems like some shops are suffering more than others.

 

[Munkul]

the problem is we hardly supply the english chain with food

most has always been imported for cheaper prices out pricing our own markets so we no longer produce at high rate

factor in covid and you havent got the pickers either here or abroad

hey someones got to pick it, check it and pack it

Yeah you're right. Growing and picking fresh veg is always going to be cheaper in Spain What can we expect, they get more sun and have lower wages. Veg is an incredibly labour intensive process. Expensive in winter to heat greenhouses, too, if you grow all year round.

I had a pipe dream about diversifying our farm with a few acres of poly greenhouses and supplying fresh veg, but the truth is, it's incredibly difficult to mechanise and the product value is too low... or everyone would be doing it.

 

[Kram]

No problems here but there were a couple months where Aldi didnt stock chillies - which I use instead of peppers. Everywhere else had no problem with Chillies. The price probably went up rather than being unavailable.

 

[blackolive (Ste)]

Could explain the lack of lettecessess in the tesco. I bet local grown ones abound on the market in town

 

[gaz1]

Yeah you're right. Growing and picking fresh veg is always going to be cheaper in Spain What can we expect, they get more sun and have lower wages. Veg is an incredibly labour intensive process. Expensive in winter to heat greenhouses, too, if you grow all year round.

I had a pipe dream about diversifying our farm with a few acres of poly greenhouses and supplying fresh veg, but the truth is, it's incredibly difficult to mechanise and the product value is too low... or everyone would be doing it.

actually you can produce all year round and have longer growing periods

 

[Munkul]

actually you can produce all year round and have longer growing periods

well hot damn. Tell that to the commercial growers down south

 

[gaz1]

well hot damn. Tell that to the commercial growers down south

they wouldnt listen it costs too much im not paying that

however southern and machester area would produce much better with both

the more north you would be better swapping to the passive type

then its full enough produce near on year round in the uk

but no gov grants and your on your own and still fighting against euro food prices that are cheaper than here in the uk all thats needed is an import tax

pointless having a brexit morons when you havent factored in food farmer grants with checks and got your own markets going

now we are all paying for it and covid is just further hammering the nail into the coffin as its showing how poor uk food produce really is

 

[Kayos]

Both Aldis near us had a few weeks without peppers, didn't notice anything else running short

Our current preffered time is Sunday morning, just be out before lunch as that is when it starts getting busy

 

[OJCar]

I worked on a smallholding, evenings after school (1970s).
We used to cut lettuce 40 weeks of the year, most years.
This was in Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, the plants were started in an unheated poly tunnel and then grown outdoors.
Careful choice of which variant of lettuce.
In the summer season, tomatoes and cucumbers in unheated poly tunnels.

Looking at Gurgle Maps, the land today is no longer in cultivation, part garden, part wasteland, certainly not producing any foodstuffs.
Fields that were growing foodstuffs then, are now housing or Industrial estates.

Also good luck hiring schoolchildren to work as Agricultural Labourers today!

 

[4String.]

just be out before lunch

Proper Yorkshire folk eat breakfast, dinner, and tea, "Lunch" is for southern shandy drinkers.

And don't get me started on these weirdos who eat "supper" at teatime . Supper at 4String Towers is cold leftover Yorkshire Pudding slathered with blackcurrant jam .

 

[Other Daniel]

We have Breakfast, Elevenses, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner.
We don't do Supper, although it does exist.

 

[Cobbler]

We have Breakfast, Elevenses, Lunch, Afternoon Tea, Dinner.
We don't do Supper, although it does exist.

I have elevenses at tenses

 

[fizzy]

GVMS was down for over a week which has caused havoc with transport.
Lot's of European hauliers don't want to come here any more because of huge queues and delays.
The Ukraine war is really starting to bite with food suppliers now. It's incredible how much sunflower oil is used in all sorts of foods. Even tomato soup!