Christmas dinner under threat as shoppers warned to expect empty shelves | UK News

Christmas dinner is at risk after bad weather has put key ingredients in short supply.

Recent storms have wreaked havoc on UK farms, leading to waterlogged land and a tough harvest.

Supplies of broccoli, caulifour, sprouts, parnsips and potatoes have all been affected by the poor weather.

The country’s potato crop is set to hit a record low of 4.1 million tons.

Experts have warned shops will be forced to supplement stock from cold storage in an attempt to have enough to go around.

Farmers have also reduced the number of cows and lambs they pwn due to post-Brexit payments combined with rising costs.

This has lead to dears there will be a shorthall in British meat.

TH Clements, one of the UK’s largest sprout suppliers, warned the vegatables would also be smaller this year and larger ones tend to fall into rainwater and rot.

Fred Searle, editor of Fresh Produce Journal, added: ‘The British potato harvest has been hit hard by heavy rain and flooding in recent weeks, causing delayed lifting and large crop losses.

‘This was preceded by a cold, wet spring and a cool summer. With the potatoes that are in store there’s likely to be enough supply to meet demand but that might not be the case in the months ahead.’

Martin Tate, a veg grower who manages 18,000 acres in Lincolnshire, said: ‘There won’t be enough broccoli to supply the Christmas dinner demand.

‘Cauliflower is still a problem and you can expect to see empty trays over the next few weeks but may return to normal before Christmas. After initial issues, Brussels sprouts supplies look like they will be OK.’

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