UK farm shops have reported a huge sales boost over the past month amid the national supermarket fresh fruit and veg "crisis". Farm and small business owners say they hope it will now have a lasting impact in the way people choose to shop. Shoppers have been faced with empty shelves on the fruit and veg aisles of major supermarkets in the past month amid "supply chain issues". Poor weather in north Africa and southern Europe hitting crops has been blamed, and some supermarkets took to rationing the number of items like tomatoes, cucumber, salad and peppers customers were able to buy.
Farm Retail Association chairman Emma Mosey: “The current issue really underlines the importance of being able to buy local produce. Our members sell vegetables that they either grow themselves or sourced from nearby growers so when there are issues further afield, they can step into the breach.”
"Not only does this reduce food miles, it also ensures support for the smaller businesses which play a vital role in food production in the UK. Farm retailers are also happy to pay producers fair prices, even in times of hardship. They always put both the customer and the producer at the heart of what they do, and because of this, their shelves and customer’s baskets are full."
Source: manchestereveningnews.co.uk