Post-Brexit labor laws and adverse weather conditions attributed to climate change have led to the decline of small-to-medium new potato growers in the UK. Guy Singh-Watson, the founder of Riverford, a prominent vegetable box scheme, highlighted the inability to source British early potatoes for customer distribution. This situation is part of a broader issue where smaller fruit and vegetable growers are exiting the industry due to low returns, labor shortages post-Brexit, and extreme weather conditions.
A Riverford survey revealed that 49% of horticulture companies are on the brink of closure. Singh-Watson remarked on the disappearance of family farms in the south and southwest, which traditionally cultivated 10 to 100 acres of potatoes.
Gerard Croft from the British Potato Trade Association noted that not only small-to-medium farmers are affected. Larger producers also faced challenges this year due to waterlogged fields following months of rain, with April being the UK's sixth-wettest on record. Mark Taylor of GB Potatoes mentioned the southwest's particularly severe impact, leading to delayed planting and tight supplies. The industry is experiencing increasing pressure from more frequent extreme weather events.
Source: thelondoneconomic.com