UK winter vegetable production is feeling the effects of the severe cold snap which hit the country in December last year and there seem to be quite a few quality issues in produce currently being harvested.

VEG-UK Ltd grows vegetables in Kent and is also in partnership with growers in Lincolnshire. Shane Talling from the company said that supply from Lincolnshire in particular was having issues.

“Normally production would shift from Lincolnshire to Cornwall and Kent for the winter months but recent years have seen milder temperatures, so Lincolnshire growers have been planting more, but unfortunately with the cold spell in December they are now having quality issues with cauliflower and sprouts.”

According to Shane prices are not what you would expect with such a short supply however as the demand is not there to pushed them up. “That said class II cauliflower is seeing decent prices due to the shortage. Some people are also importing from France but that is expensive.”

VEG-UK export on a regular basis, and are currently exporting white cabbage into Europe however products such as cauliflowers, sprouts and carrots are currently not being exported due to the shortages and quality issues from the dry summer and severe frosts from last December.

Shane doesn’t expect much more cauliflower from Lincolnshire until March, “Year on year we are seeing less production from Kent as smaller growers have been forced to stop due to increasing costs.”

Source - https://www.freshplaza.com